Len
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Posts: 74
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Post by Len on Sept 14, 2008 20:23:38 GMT -5
[size=2Another stupid question from me: 1. Who owns those tracks? [/size][/quote] There is no such thing as a stupid question. There are only stupid answers. The right of way between Larkspur Landing and Cloverdale, as well as east from the Ignacio Wye and over to Schellville (and I think all the way to Napa Junction / American Canyon) is owned outright by SMART, a public agency. SMART acquired the right of way and all associated inholdings for that stretch from the North Coast Railroad Authority a couple of years ago. All that open land right around the yard in Santa Rosa's Railroad Square... guess who owns that? The NCRA, also a public agency, owns the right of way outright from Cloverdale all the way north until the line terminates in Eureka, Arcata and Samoa on the shores of Humboldt Bay. So the short answer to your question is that you do. And so do I.[/quote] Just to maintain my contradictory nature, there may be no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid people. But as Will Rogers once said, "Everybody is stupid in most things", or something to that effect. Thanks for the update....it leads to more questions from one who knows more nothing. But let me think of the better questions to cut through to the quick. Point being, is the controlling agency accessible or answerable to the public, and via what mechanisms, or is it insulated in that morass of bureaucracy thickened by lawyer language? No, wrong....of course lawyers have insulated it.. ...maybe the better question, where does their money come from? Wait....I am lazy....I guess I'll have to Google what you gave me, but.....I've got a life to live.....and I'm almost incorruptibly lazy.....but I'll get back to you. Thank you again. |
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Len
Apprentice Member
Posts: 74
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Post by Len on Sept 14, 2008 20:26:33 GMT -5
One of my more favorite movies is "Who Killed Roger Rabbit".
As a lad I saw maps of railroad tacks in NorCal. They were EVERYWHERE, and now.......that movie reminds me of those tracks....
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Len
Apprentice Member
Posts: 74
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Post by Len on Sept 14, 2008 21:12:54 GMT -5
Ok, so now you all now just how dumb a guy can be, so I don't mind telling you I don't know what I am doing. There's a SMART meeting Wednesday about 1:30, and I ain't going. So maybe you can answer this: www.sonomamarintrain.org/userfiles/file/SMART%20Board%20Packet%20091708.pdfpage 56 shows their cumulative salaries and I THINK it says they are giving themselves a 27.92% overall increase and raise. Other pages has weed wacke'rs supervisors getting $80.00/hr, and some other "consultant" getting $175/hr but only up to $25K worth. Great work if you can get. I think I will vote NO on the upcoming November tax increase for these guys. And no where can I find some one TAKING CHARGE to get the JOB done. I got sea sick with reading all through the bureaucracy, but then again it's well known that I am an idiot, so I am SURE it's in great hands and we should see the turn coming any minute now. Of course the hysterical "Global warming, so do it now crowd" is pushing hard. Sad thing is, I am in great favor of the idea of trains moving folks & freight, but not at this iteration of it. |
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Post by The Big Dog on Sept 14, 2008 22:02:37 GMT -5
Just to maintain my contradictory nature, there may be no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid people. But as Will Rogers once said, "Everybody is stupid in most things", or something to that effect. Well we won't hold any of that again ya....  SMART is a joint powers authority, enabled by the State Legislature. It's board consists of various elected officials from Sonoma and Marin counties as well as two members appointed from the BoD of the GGBHTD. The list of board members is.... Marin County Charles McGlashan - Chair SMART Board of Directors, Marin County Board of Supervisors Al Boro - Mayor of the City of San Rafael Peter Breen - San Anselmo City Council Hal Brown - Marin County Board of Supervisors Carole Dillon-Knutson - Novato City Council Sonoma County Valerie Brown - Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Debora Fudge - Vice Chair SMART Board of Directors, Windsor City Council Robert Jehn - Cloverdale City Council Mike Kerns - Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Jake MacKenzie - Rohnert Park City Council Golden Gate Bridge and Highway Transportation District Barbara Pahre - GGBHTD Board Jim Eddie - GGBHTD Board Barbara Pahre is the Napa County's sole representative on the GGBHTD board. She is a retired school teacher and doesn't hold public office to my knowledge. Jim Eddie is Mendocino County's sole representative on the GGBHTD board. He is a former Mendocino County supervisor. All the rest of the SMART directors are elected officials of various stripe. Having said that... GGBHTD is the lead planning agency in SMART. Now let's consider that of those 12 folks on the SMART board, six of them sit on the BoD of the GGBHTD. Those same folks with platinum plated benefits and perks sitting on the board that runs the Golden Gate Bridge are the drivers behind SMART. This has always the part of SMART that has made me the most skeptical. The GGBHTD board has proven time and again over the past fifty years that it could f*** up a cup of coffee, and send a couple hundred million dollars doing it. Are they answerable? Considering how long REMF's like Al Boro and Hal Brown have been in office in Marin? I'd say not really. The voters in Rohnert Park certainly haven't seen Casino Jake for the charlatan that he is, have they? The real answer to your question is, I think, no. These are all professional politicians for the most part. They keep getting returned to office every two or four years. SMART's money, for now, is coming in grants from the state and feds. But that's just their walking around money. GGBHTD is, no doubt, pumping money into it as well. Longer term, they need the sales tax increase to move the project forward. Unfortunately even if they lose again in November, as they have each time they've tried, SMART will continue on until the legislature passes a new law to close them down. Think that will ever happen? |
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Post by bolverk on Sept 15, 2008 13:39:03 GMT -5
SMART's money, for now, is coming in grants from the state and feds. But that's just their walking around money. GGBHTD is, no doubt, pumping money into it as well. Longer term, they need the sales tax increase to move the project forward. Unfortunately even if they lose again in November, as they have each time they've tried, SMART will continue on until the legislature passes a new law to close them down. Think that will ever happen? Heck no, they are going to jam notsoSMART down our throats, and into our wallets. |
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Post by The Big Dog on Sept 15, 2008 16:59:18 GMT -5
And who would have thought that the Transportation Authority of Marin is actually studying intra and inter city street car service, above and beyond what SMART (which they seem to support) is planning. Interestingly enough the vice chair of TAM.... San Rafael Mayor Al Boro, who also sits on both the SMART and GGBHTD boards. Go figure. Link |
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Len
Apprentice Member
Posts: 74
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Post by Len on Sept 16, 2008 7:20:26 GMT -5
TBD, thanks for the quicky! I scanned 60 pages of stuff when I could have gone to you! With the state near broke it is time to defund SMART, but Senator Migden or Assembly Huffman don't know it yet?
Naw, I know Carol won't go up against the GGBHTD.
Ah, Politics.....Lord of the Flies
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Post by The Big Dog on Sept 27, 2008 17:05:26 GMT -5
Given the current financial crisis, not to mention all the outright lying both sides have been doing in their advertising and ballot arguments, and the fact that a President Obama will almost certainly raise taxes (as I expect the next Governor of California will as well) I am coming to the conclusion that this latest effort at a SMART sales tax will once again be defeated.
That, however, will not stop the SMART board from continuing to try to ram it to us. That is their charter, after all, and until they either vote themselves dissolved (highly unlikely) or the Legislature and Governor agree that they should be dissolved they will keep after it.
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Post by bolverk on Sept 29, 2008 15:52:03 GMT -5
Given the current financial crisis, not to mention all the outright lying both sides have been doing in their advertising and ballot arguments, and the fact that a President Obama will almost certainly raise taxes (as I expect the next Governor of California will as well) I am coming to the conclusion that this latest effort at a SMART sales tax will once again be defeated. That, however, will not stop the SMART board from continuing to try to ram it to us. That is their charter, after all, and until they either vote themselves dissolved (highly unlikely) or the Legislature and Governor agree that they should be dissolved they will keep after it. Just sent an email to the Governator, asking him to dissolve SMART after this election, if they lose, rather then allowing them to pick the dry bones of our taxpayers. |
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