By DAVID MARTIN
A couple building a car wash on Main Street is bankrolling the campaign to defeat the light-rail initiative, according to a spokesman.
Citizens for Sensible Transit has raised approximately $58,000, the committee's spokesman, Patrick Tuohey, says. Michael and Donna Messina, described by Touhey as Main Street "shop owners," have contributed $50,000 to the cause.
Tuohey says the Messinas are concerned that the light-rail line will disrupt their business. Vehicles traveling north on Main will likely lose the ability to make left turns if the proposed route goes into construction. "They're worried about the street being dug up," Tuohey says.
Michael Messina is a lawyer with an office in Waldo. Property records indicate that his family purchased the land for the car wash, the former home of Main Street Chevrolet, in 2007 for $1.2 million. Sensible Transit campaign signs dot the work site.
Touhey this morning laid out the arguments against light rail: The plan is too vague (of course, Clay Chastain's was too specific); the schools and the sewers need more urgent attention; companies and Olathe families won't rush to the urban core if Kansas City builds a rail line.
Touhey also faults the City Council for insisting on getting a plan on the November ballot. "I don't understand why they're rushing this," he says. "I don't understand why it's now or never."
Messina did not immediately return a phone call to his office.
Why would we push through another feel good project when we have what some at city hall are quitely saying behind the scenes is a 4 billion dollar sewer problem? Jan says that a sales tax won't pay for the sewers, so property taxes will foot the entire bill, that would like add a $1000 for an average house per year, every day we pay sales tax, ask your self how you will benefit personally from the plan? We built an arena and renovated the Sports Complex, now lets fix the most important part of our infastructure. This wouldn't be on the ballot if Chastain's plan hadn't passed which I admit I voted for in protest to the establishment. Their not even incorporating any of Chastain's ideas into this route. How many of the 22K Crown Center employess can actually make it home on the rail? When the roof is leaking and you have to take out an equity line of credit to pay for home improvements you don't buy the flooring and then deal with the wet carpeting later.
Posted at: October 14, 2008 10:27 PM