How about 10 reasons why it should love a bus instead of a streetcar:
1) Cheaper
2) Cheaper
3) Cheaper
4) Cheaper
5) Cheaper
6) Cheaper
7) Cheaper
Cheaper
9) Cheaper
10) Cheaper
If you want streetcars, go where they are, stop wasting time, money and resources asking for something not important to MOST taxpayers here.
I guess you could say its also cheaper to hire a prostitute for an hour than to establish a true relationship with someone. The core has had buses since the 1930s and look at it today:
Your rubber wheeled options, both the regular bus and faux trolley, have done nothing to spur development or increase property values since their beginnings in the 1930s.
Now we get news that Jax has one of the weakest economies in the US right now.
http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/06/15/daily28.html?surround=lfn&ana=testRegardless of how you feel, what we have done in the past is clearly not working (see images above). Considering Jax is in need of an economic catalyst swift kick in the pants, streetcars are an economic development tool and buses (fake trolleys included) are not, here are ten real reasons that suggest fixed transit is worth exploring:
1. Portland Streetcar
stimulated $3.5 billion and 10,212 new residential units within 3 blocks of the streetcar corridor since it was approved in 1997.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-apr-elements-of-urbanism-portland2. Seattle South Lake Union Streetcar
stimulated 6,100 residential units and 3.3 million sf of commercial space within 4 blocks of the streetcar corridor after it was approved in 2005.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-jan-seattle-streetcar-opens3. Tacoma Link
stimulated over 2,000 residential units along the route since operation began in 2003.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2007-sep-im-smaller-than-jax-and-i-have-rail-tacoma4. Little Rock River Rail Streetcar
$400 million in development and 600 new residential units within 2 blocks of streetcar alignment since operation began in 2004.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-jan-affordable-streetcar-little-rock-river-rail5. Tampa TECO Streetcar
As of 2008, $1 billion in private development along streetcar route since the operation began in 2002.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-dec-elements-of-urbanism-tampa6. Kenosha Streetcar
350 units and $150 million in development along a 1.9 mile line in a really small town since operation began in 2000. That city is now considering a $16 million, 4-mile extension.
7. Memphis Streetcar
$2 billion in development along streetcar corridor since operation began in 1993.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2007-aug-im-smaller-than-jax-and-i-have-rail-memphis^
http://Peer%20City%20Handout%20for%20distribution.pdf8. Charlotte Trolley
The success since its opening in 1996 has spurred the implementation of a starter 9.6 mile light rail that already carries over 21,700 riders a day.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-may-rail-ridership-exceeds-expectations9. Norfolk's Tide Light Rail
The economy may be down but this 7.4-mile line is already spurring development that Jacksonville can only dream of at this stage.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-apr-a-lesson-for-jacksonville-norfolks-tide-light-rail10. Dallas M-Line Streetcar
Began operation in 1989, spurred massive redevelopment in Uptown Dallas and led to the community's acceptance of light and commuter rail systems. Btw, its a volunteer service with no fares to ride.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-mar-affordable-streetcar-m-line-streetcar"To say DART Rail's impact has been substantial for the Dallas region's economy would be an understatement," said Dr. Bernard Weinstein, director of the University of North Texas Center for Economic Development and Research. "It's a trend that's impossible to miss; the local business community certainly hasn't."
Beyond the jobs and direct economic benefits generated by construction of the system, DART Rail is dramatically changing the urban landscape with more than $7 billion in current, planned and projected transit-oriented developments (TODs) springing up around station areas.
In a November 2007 study, Weinstein and colleague Dr. Terry Clower project transit-oriented development near DART Rail eventually will generate more than $46 million each year to area schools, $23.5 million to member cities, millions more to other local taxing entities.
http://www.dart.org/about/economicimpact.aspIsn't sending extra money to schools your thing? Do you really believe buses will result in developments that will pay property taxes that will send more money to schools?
facebook and 
twitter.
