It is hard to believe but it is only four days until April 6 which is a very important election day here in St. Louis County. Yesterday I was driving from my periodontist (which is unusual since I rarely have to drive during the work week), and I took the scenic route through Olivette and Ladue on my way home. I was happy to see quite a few "
Yes on Prop A" signs along the major streets (Old Bonhomme, Price, Clayton) as I travelled through Olivette, Ladue and into Richmond Heights. I noticed there were even some homes that had "Yes" for Prop A and "No" for Prop O (for the
Ladue School Bond issue) in the same yard. Even those people who did not want to support the Ladue schools were willing to support public transportation. I saw a few anti-Prop O signs here and there, but no signs against Proposition A at all that I could remember. That was a very good omen, but I had to remember that it was Olivette, Ladue and Richmond Heights I was driving through, and not communities further out west. Would there be that much support west of 270? I have read some of the viewpoints
against the proposition and I must agree they have some valid arguments. Is Proposition A perfect? Not even close! But as it is written now, if the proposition fails it will be a disaster for our region as more transit lines and services will be shutdown. I do not believe Metro manages the money they receive perfectly either, but I do not even consider that an issue. They are another large bureaucracy with waste and management problems present, but these days I am afraid that is the norm and not the exception (think MSD). As a logical voter you only have to decide one thing -- is it better for the community as a whole if this proposition as it stand passes or if it fails. And when you look at it that way there is only one answer -- it simply must pass. Without it passing many people could not get to work, get to school or simply get around the area. I know Washington University is one of the prime beneficiaries of its passage, so I may seem biased, but the university is a huge employer in the area and many employees and graduate students depend on Metro for their transportation. If you consider all the other universities (SLU, UMSL, SLCC, Webster) with students and employees who use Metro to get to school or work, you are talking about a ton or people affected. Hey, once it passes that does not mean Metro can just go wild and spend money with reckless abandon. Metro should definitely be watched to make sure the funding is spent appropriately, but they simply must maintain current services and expand them where they are needed.
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