Sunday, April 20, 2008

Re: TCA Today (Thursday) Mar 13 - 08

3/15/08

At today's TCA meeting (Thursday) we learned many new things -

(having written this immediately following the meeting, new thoughts
regarding OCTA, Chaired by Norby with Supervisor Bates at his side,
regarding a rational, commonsense transportation plan for this county
going forward, have come to mind.
Read the following and mull.
No need to respond. Because there's more to come as we digest TCA's
manipulation of OC's transportation future compromised by the fact -
all the same-bad-players, sit both Boards.
Talking Heads - Talking to the same Talking Heads?
No wonder they agree)

Notes from TCA meeting:

1. Supervisor Norby commanded all Directors (24) to lobby
OC Congresswoman Sanchez hard, for her to reintroduce
a counter-amendment to the one, she and Congresswoman
Davis (SD) injected into the last military appropriations bill
enacted by Congress and signed by the Pres.
According to Supe Norby - unless this happens, the 241-south
will never happen.
Norby suggested, Sanchez is open to toll road discussions.
(Norby is the same Top Dog OC elected, rousted by Anaheim
police recently for sleeping all night on the front lawn of the
Old OC Court House. They thought he was a vagrant. He
said, he had nowhere else to sleep. I'm not making this up).

2. Shadow Tolls
A whole new category / concept in 'toll'ing' OC commuters.
Because of the argument: "tolls are too high, commuters can't
afford them." To increase future toll-traffic, tolls would be lowered
substantially.
BUT - to not lose revenue, Measure M dollars would be raided
to make up the difference.
Measure M: our tax dollars voted-for, by us, to improve freeways,
arterials and mass transit.
The astute TCA watcher should ask, "but if TCA lowers tolls,
allowing more commuters to take toll roads, won't the toll roads
become instantly overcrowded?"
No.
Because - money would become 'magically' available to widen
the toll roads - to accept the hordes!
But what about widening freeways?
Why do that?

3. At one point, Supervisor Bates (in near hysterics) blasted the idea
of widening I-5 by 8-lanes here (where 8-lanes??? Who's map is
she reading? Not the MIS Study maps).
That, the ONLY possible solution is - widen the toll roads and charge
Shadow Tolls (if the cracked-logic of OC's Supervisors doesn't scare
you - come to a toll road meeting and witness it Live).

4. I believe it was Director Hack (his real name / from Laguna Woods)
who questioned the wisdom of widening toll roads and charging
Shadow Tolls. That the very idea tears at the essential goal of OC
toll roads: a few, very happy commuters, paying big-bucks, to enjoy
a clear, speedy commute. Not afforded by the majority.
In "Hack's" view, a perfect transportation model - working perfectly.

5. Several Directors went into long, confused monologues on how
Shadow Tolls and widening toll roads would create a quicker-end
to toll roads becoming Freeways. Instead of the possible end-date
suggested by an OCTA consultant of 2100.
Here we're making REAL TCA PROGRESS, as it was suggested just
2-years ago by Supe Campbell & crew, a toll road-to-Freeway Reality
could come as soon as 2045...or, ahh, maybe 2065?

Welcome to 2100.

For the record - the original lie was - the 73: freeway by 2015.

6. A big favorite of mine - Director Herzog (Lake Forest) summarized:
if the the 241 is not paved by 2030 (in 22 years?), that the 2-year
long OCTA MIS Study (overall long term transportation model
for South County Study Area: from the 55, south to Pendleton -
Pacific Ocean to Cleveland Nat, Forest), is flawed.
Sounds like: a veiled threat to the folks Modeling the extremely
complicated, multi-modeled (politicized) study area in its 5 different
versions, to somehow, magically pave the 241-south?
You get the feeling, for the Directors most invested (in whatever way)
in a 241 completion: Herzog, Bates, Norby, MacLean - the CCC's
decision has driven them bonkers.
They're facing a reality, they can't fathom.
They're panicky. And nervous.
And, talking more-nonsense than ever before.
Except for one - Supervisor Campbell.
He made one procedural comment, but said nothing in either Board
(73 & 241) meeting. He sits both boards.
And, is their undeclared lead-thinker.
Maybe he was mute because our-side had a camera rolling
throughout.

7. OCTA has instructed the MIS Study Group (a TCA tactic)
"NOT" to model an alternative without the 241 toll road.

Even tho, TCA Director Harkey, in public, has stated, the road's
a dead-issue, "To move on."
With Norby stating, "if Sanchez doesn't do a 180, and reintroduce
a military amendment to the Feds., the road will never get built,"
(as the pondering, silent, Bill Campbell sits mute)
As Supervisor Bates screams "without the 241 finished to I-5,
widening I-5 will destroy San Clemente and SJC!!!
As another Director blabbed on about the emissions SCAG-claim
(long story) - that SCAG's Executive Director has already seated
publicly, is not true.

You begin to wonder, who are these people preaching to?

Because, except for the few of 'us' there - they are the only other
ones ever in the room?

This isn't about a 241 toll extension anymore.
It goes much deeper.

This is about spoiled children not getting their way -
in their sand box (OC).
Where up until now - it's always been Recess.

And - the housing economy is tanking -
and that's TCA's financial motor.

Stay tuned and stay alert.

Who knows what they might pull next.

They tried to buy the State Park.

They're collectively crazy.
And they drive this county.

jer

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