The following item by Bob “Again” Carney Jr., a transit activist, was published in the November 13, 2015 edition of the Star Tribune.

Editorial Counterpoint: The Truth Behind Light-Rail Sticker Shock

Richard Sennott: Star Tribune file photo

Light-rail funding is a continuing point of contention in the Twin Cities area.

If you’re thinking about kicking the tires on a new light-rail line, be sure to wear steel-tipped boots. Maybe some body armor. Light rail can kick back pretty hard. The Bottineau Line budget recently kicked up about $500 million — it’s total is now $1.5 billion.

The Star Tribune Editorial Board’s response: Things will be a lot worse if we do nothing (“Doing nothing is the costliest transit plan,” Nov. 1). Fortunately, the editorial included a saving grace, noting “finding effective alternatives” as an option.

Unfortunately, light-rail sticker shock is a symptom of a much deeper problem: a built-in mandate favoring light-rail construction boondoggles.

This paper’s opinion-page discussion on transportation and transit hasn’t delved much into the mysterious “CTIB” — the Counties Transit Improvement Board. Most people have never heard of the CTIB. But to understand the transit challenges our Legislature faces, we need to deal with some CTIB basics.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune
http://m.startribune.com/editorial-counterpoint-the-truth-behind-light-rail-sticker-shock/347276662/?section=opinion