David Kiel’s Petition to Orange County Commission

Chair Rich and Members of the County Commission, I’m David Kiel and I have been a resident of the County since 1977.

Tonight I speak on behalf of Affordable Transit For All. We are a coalition of Orange and Durham citizens and civic groups. We advocate for practical transportation solutions.

We have many concerns about the proposed Light Rail Project. Tonight, however, I want to focus only the potential negative impact on transportation, schools and other public services in Orange County.

The original capital expense for this project was set at $2.4 billion. The actual price including interest on borrowing was recently calculated to be $3.3 billion. We just learned that changes in the plan required by Durham may add as much as $500 million to the capital cost, a figure which ,as I understand it, does not include associated interest charges.

As a result, the project is hundreds of millions of dollars short. And here is the essence of the threat we see: Durham and Orange will be expected to make up the difference.

The light rail project is currently absorbing almost all our transit funds. We believe these funds could be used to serve more people, more flexibly at a fraction of the cost.

Therefore tonight we ask the Commission to consider four actions:

  • First.  Please honor your commitment to cap the County’s share of the capital outlay for the project at $149.5 million.

 

  • Second . Please consider a cap on Orange County’s borrowing associated with light rail, already at $150 million—and we will be responsible for the associated interest costs on this amount.

 

  • Third.  Please do not offer other revenue streams to close the funding gaps that we foresee. The county’s schools and essential services face their own serious funding challenges. They should not lose funds to Light Rail.

If there are unexpended transit tax funds, please use them to expand bus, bus rapid transit and demand services for seniors and other vulnerable populations.

Finally.  Since Go Triangle must now come back to this body with a new financial plan taking into account the increased costs, please invite Davenport, the County’s respected financial consultant, to return and review the new Light Rail financial plan so you can be fully informed as you consider any further commitments to the project.

We believe these simple actions are essential to safeguard our citizens from the likely negative impact of this project on the County’s finances, transportation, and other public services. Thank you.

Top