Recall the tight rope controversy of funding a Hillsborough County light rail transit project and funding a regional approach that might, by virtue of its multi-county scope, prove the more effective money magnet.  Well, if all the naysaying about raising taxes in these hard times is correct, Pam will have the best justification of moving forward after all which is that Tampa/Hillsborough can.  Before it was simply a matter of which logic you preferred, but TBARTA is suggesting their funding perspective might be held up a little bit given the current economy.

I think the area is tax-starved and people will instantly vote in a good tax plan.  I think building a light rail system would be one way of providing emergency jobs to the local populace.  But, assuming those who put a high priority on eliminating taxes (notice I don't refer to "them" as those who seek to keep them well-managed and meaningful), Hillsborough County might not fare any better by that logic.  That doesn't matter though because it's easier to at least try as one county, a leading one at that, than it is to try as 4 or 5 that TBARTA must uniformly rope.  And that alone will likely give Pam and Hillsborough County the moxy to move forward.

Nobody wants to wait another 10 years for action on rail.  Maybe TBARTA can get innovative.