Quote:
Originally Posted by Majin
Actually a bigger problem is the 2/3's majority that required it to pass in the first place. Thats too high of a hurdle in any city that is purposing any kind of tax increase. I really hope the city and KJ had a backup plan because I really never expected this to reach the 2/3's majority but was just hoping I was wrong.
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And yet, in the past, transportation initiatives have passed the 2/3 hurdle, often easily, something that has been in place in CA law for decades, simply because it is all too easy to talk 50.0001% into taking from 49.9999%
I think the problems with the measure were:
1. Sales tax fatigue. I think the proposed stadium sales tax for Sacramento County a few years back, which was actually half for the stadium and half for whatever local government might have a whim, left a residual bad feeling for additional sales taxes among many voters of Sacramento County.
2. Light Rail to Airport. Do people want a slower trolley that goes up Truxel Road / Natomas Boulevard, or something that zips travelers from SMF to downtown, which should go along Interstate 5? I think the people who really needed to be sold on the Natomas Trolley, namely, Natomas residents, were just not sold on it.
3. Priority to Road Improvements. If the proponents had put widening Business 80 for bus and carpool lanes front and center--and promised funding for that *first*, I think the suburbanite voters would have gladly voted YES.