Phoenix 1997 Transit Election

What are the opponents saying?

• "More buses won't make Phoenix transit a good product" Guest Column by Jeffry Flake and Robert Franciosi, The Arizona Republic, Aug. 31, 1997, page H4. Authors reiterate their position against transit.
• "DiCiccio denounces transit tax; Will break with colleagues on City Council, vote 'no'" by Mary Jo Pitzl and Chris Fiscus, The Arizona Republic, Aug. 16, 1997
• "Stealth campaign for transit hides truth from voters," By John Kolbe, The Arizona Republic, Aug. 15,1997
• "Tempe transit not a success" Letter, John Semmens, The Arizona Republic, 24 July 1997
• the Goldwater Institute report by John Semmens (if your browser does not support frames, click here)
• "Transit tax hike's time has not come" Letter, John Semmens, Arizona Republic, 10 May 1997. Mr. Semmens suggests that transit cannot have any impact on transportation systems, and is a waste of money.
• "Pollution reduced by technology, not rail, bus systems" Guest Commentary, Cliff Cowles, Jr., East Mesa Independent, 14 May, 1997. QUOTE: "Light rail is now an antique idea, besides one that will spend us to death with almost no useful return." See William Lindley's response.
• "More buses, rail no cure for transit woes" The Business Journal of Phoenix, 13 January 1997. Marvin Cronberg, executive vice president of the Arizona Automobile Dealers Association, argues against mass transit.
• "Tempe transit failure should be warning to other cities" Guest column, John Semmens, Tribune papers, 18 July 1997, page A15. Mr. Semmens classifies the Tempe transit tax as a failure in spite of its adding over 1,000 boardings a day to Tempe's bus system -- a 31% increase.
• "Mass transit is costly, inefficient, unproductive and not necessary" Letter, Cliff Cowles Jr., East Mesa Independent, 16 July 1997, page 4. QUOTE: "The current [bus] system... needs to be shrunk down to just a few routes that might carry a worthwhile bus full of passengers during rush hour and then some provision made for carrying a few hardship cases..."
• "Public-transit parasite" Letter, Mildred Giordano, Mesa Tribune, 16 July 1997, page A12. QUOTE: "Public transit lives as a parasite off the earnings and production of other activities in the community..."
• "Vote against transit tax" Letter, Jack McVaugh, The Arizona Republic, July 6, 1997, page H4. QUOTE: "cars carry 99 percent of the transit in Phoenix. If the proposed transit expansion actually meets all of its goals, autos will still carry 98 percent of the travel. That's billions of dollars for a one percent impact..."

1997 Phoenix Transit Election Page