The questions:

comment on internal Civic Caucus discussion on transportation
1. _8.1 average___ On a scale of (0) strong disagreement, to (5) neutral, to (10) strong agreement, what is your view on whether--in light of unresolved questions outlined in the summary--the Civic Caucus should continue to place high priority on transportation?

2. On a scale of (0) not at all important, to (10) extremely important, how important are the following issues?
_8.6 average___ Revenue
_7.5 average___ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
_7.6 average___ Transit operating expense
_6.3 average___ Priority for rail transit
_8.2 average___ State transportation policy structure
_6.8 average___ Private sector role
_5.1 average___ Economic development as a transportation objective
_8.3 average___ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
_7.7 average___ Serving non-downtown transit destinations
____ Other, please list:
* lack of leadership on the part of the governor and Metro Council on funding and promoting a truly integrated regional transportation system rather than the current focus on corridors
* Making best use of energy
* federal transportation funding
* K-12 schooling
* Integrating transportation planning with overall state planning - taking a systemic approach to dealing with public policy issues.
* A total Statewide approach to transportation of people and products
*

Vici Oshiro
I would be more interested in a discussion on globalization. We need a greater understanding of its ramifications and possibilities. Probably no one group can take on all aspects, but can a variety of groups including Civic Caucus find ways to generate discussions on some aspects. With this group that would probably mean encouraging participants to read relevant books rather than have core group conduct interviews.

Craig Westover (10)
The fundamental issue is "What problem are we trying to solve?" The long list of issues reinforces that the question has not been answered. Until we answer that question, we cannot formulate consistent transportation policy. Following answering the question, the first priority should be to align the funding process with the objective -- fund by cost/benefit/priority statewide rather than be geographic equity. Fund locally by making local units responsible for funding projects of strictly local benefit.

Wayne Jennings (4)
__8__ Revenue
__7__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__7__ Transit operating expense
__6__ Priority for rail transit
__8__ State transportation policy structure
__3__ Private sector role
__3__ Economic development as a transportation objective
__9__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__7__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Transportation is important but so confounding. We just returned from
Europe and enjoyed using subways and electric trains which cover everywhere. Somehow, reluctance to spend what's really necessary colors all the good choices. Balkanized planning makes area wide solutions nearly impossible. We can spend hundreds of millions for ball parks but stumble over the public good. Our forbearers built the infrastructure of the Twin Cities with primitive methods at great cost and we moderns can't seem to get the will to tax ourselves sufficiently to maintain and upgrade it.

Don Anderson (8)
__10__ Revenue
__10__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
___8_ Transit operating expense
__5__ Priority for rail transit
__10__ State transportation policy structure
__4 Private sector role
_5___ Economic development as a transportation objective
__10__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__10__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Jim Barton (10)
___10_ Revenue
___10_ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
___5 Transit operating expense
___8_ Priority for rail transit
___6 State transportation policy structure
___5 Private sector role
__ 9 Economic development as a transportation objective
__10_Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__5 Serving non-downtown transit destinations
____ Other: lack of leadership on the part of the governor and Metro Council on funding and promoting a truly integrated regional transportation system rather than the current focus on corridors

Austin Chapman (2)
__8__ Revenue
__9__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__8_ Transit operating expense
__6__ Priority for rail transit
__9__ State transportation policy structure
__9 Private sector role
_ 3___ Economic development as a transportation objective
__7__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__7__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations 2

Donna Anderson (8)
__10__ Revenue
__10__Metro Council-metro counties relationship
___9_ Transit operating expense
__10_ Priority for rail transit
__10_ State transportation policy structure
_ 10_ Private sector role
__7__ Economic development as a transportation objective
__9__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__9__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Bob White (8)
_8___ Revenue
_5___ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
_6___ Transit operating expense
_6___ Priority for rail transit
_6___ State transportation policy structure
_6___ Private sector role
_5___ Economic development as a transportation objective
_8___ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
_6___ Serving non-downtown transit destinations
_8___ Other, please list: Making best use of energy_____________________________________

The Caucus continues to do impressive work, and not only in transportation. That issue by itself is complex, and the variety of views you have elicited helps clarify the issues. I also appreciate your positive analysis of redistricting and judicial appointments -- and, in particular, your advocacy of decision-making by legislation rather than referendum. With bipartisan heavy-hitters supporting the environmental amendment, yours is a voice in the wilderness pointing out its dangers. (Earlier this spring I was asked to add my own endorsement; I took the time to write back an intemperate no, explaining my opposition to California-style policy-making by ballot.)

Margaret Donahoe (8)
_10__ Revenue
__7__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__10__ Transit operating expense
___7_ Priority for rail transit
___7_ State transportation policy structure
___8_ Private sector role
_8___ Economic development as a transportation objective
__7__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
___5_ Serving non-downtown transit destinations
__9__ Other, please list: ______federal transportation funding
:
A potential reduction in federal funds could hurt
Minnesota's transportation system

Carolyn Ring (7)
_10___ Revenue
__8__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__4__ Transit operating expense
__8__ Priority for rail transit
__4__ State transportation policy structure
__6_ Private sector role
__4__ Economic development as a transportation objective
__9_ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Dan Loritz (8)
__8__ Revenue
__4__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__7_ Transit operating expense
__8__ Priority for rail transit
_10___ State transportation policy structure
__8_ Private sector role
__8 Economic development as a transportation objective
_10 Easing congestion; promoting mobility
_ 8___ Serving non-downtown transit destinations
__8__ Other, please list: ____K-12 schooling

Connie Morrison (10)
__5__ Revenue
__5__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__9__ Transit operating expense
__3__ Priority for rail transit
__9__ State transportation policy structure
__9__ Private sector role
__3_ Economic development as a transportation objective
__10_ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__10__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Pat Lichty
I think that transportation is essentially important. It seems to me that, with the bridge down and potholes ruining our cars as we try to drive in our streets, transportation needs are on everyone's mind.

However, I believe transportation is a visible example of many other areas of essential infrastructure and services, which are crumbling around us and reducing our once famous "quality of life."

Transportation, like all other important public needs, is not being addressed in a comprehensive manner because we are blocked from action by financial constraints and extreme partisanship.

To address the problem faced by continuous, systemic financial constraints, I think a new priority for the Civic Caucus should be reconsideration of our tax structure. Currently, we are in a situation where taxes have been cut so much and basic infrastructure and needs ignored or delayed so long that we, as a state, are rapidly losing ground. I believe that the continuous tax cuts we experienced since 1998 need to be addressed and re-considered. Taxes should be adequate so that we are able to invest in our state by funding essential services. Moreover, they should be fairly and equitably accessed. This is not happening today.

Lyall Schwarzkopf (7)
__9__ Revenue
__10__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
___7_ Transit operating expense
___6_ Priority for rail transit
___9_ State transportation policy structure
___6_ Private sector role
___3_ Economic development as a transportation objective
___10_ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
___7_ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Maybe the price of gas will take care of the congestion problem, but if it does not, then that is very important. Also important is who is responsible for what in transportation. The Legislature is really making a mess of responsibility. It seems like they want to make a mess, so they can control the whole process. Rather than using transportation funding and bridge problems as a political football, it would be much better for the state if the legislature and governor would sit down together and work things out. I am not sure anyone can do anything about transportation revenue or who is responsible for what until there is more civility in state government. The Legislature can't have it all their way and the governor can't have it all his way.

John R. Finnegan, Sr. (8)
__10__ Revenue
__10__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__5__ Transit operating expense
__6__ Priority for rail transit
__6__ State transportation policy structure
____ Private sector role
__7__ Economic development as a transportation objective
__10__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__6__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Paul Hauge (10)
_10__ Revenue
_8___ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
_9___ Transit operating expense
_9___ Priority for rail transit
_7___ State transportation policy structure
_9___ Private sector role
_8___ Economic development as a transportation objective
_9___ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
_9___ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Malcolm McLean (7)
___9_ Revenue
___8_ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
___7_ Transit operating expense
___8_ Priority for rail transit
___9_ State transportation policy structure
__3__ Private sector role
__6__ Economic development as a transportation objective
__4__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__5__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

It is hard to rate those items just above as nearly all are important and some times the difference in one rating is purely a guess. I do think it is well for the CC to devote itself to a few issues and touch others as information items. In that sense, I think a continuing emphasis on transportation is very good. It is not that others issues are easy or unimportant but the CC can't do everything so being knowledgeable and active on a few major questions appeals to me. Thanks for what you are doing.

Bill Frenzel (8)
__ 9_ Revenue
___7_ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__ 8_ Transit operating expense
___1_ Priority for rail transit
__10_or maybe 20__ State Transportation policy structure
___9 Private sector role
___2 Economic development as a transportation objective
__ 8_ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
___7_ Serving non-downtown transit destinations
State Transp. Policy structure is so far ahead of everything else that until that is right, the others don't matter.

The Civic Caucus should focus on the planning and decision-making systems, and not get involved in what kinds of transit and where it goes. A rational system will produce rational results (maybe).

Bright Dornblaser (10)
___10_ Revenue
___10_ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
____8 Transit operating expense
____9 Priority for rail transit
___10 State transportation policy structure
___10 Private sector role
____5 Economic development as a transportation objective
___10Easing congestion; promoting mobility
___10_ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Bob Brown (3)
____ Revenue
____ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
____ Transit operating expense
____ Priority for rail transit
__10_State transportation policy structure
____ Private sector role
____ Economic development as a transportation objective
____ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
____ Serving non-downtown transit destinations
__10_Other, please list: _Integrating transportation planning with overall state planning - taking a systemic approach to dealing with public policy issues.

I think you have had a good discussion about transportation issues, but I think a greater emphasis should be placed on how to improve the processes of encouraging candidates, and nominating and electing people to public office who have broader vision and who are capable of seeing things systemically and who respect others even though they might not agree on specific policy issues. We either have to change who is in office or get the people who are in office to open their minds. The media and opinion leaders all have a role to play in this.

David W. Asp (10)
__8__ Revenue
__5__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__7__ Transit operating expense
__9__ Priority for rail transit
__5__ State transportation policy structure
__10__ Private sector role
__10__ Economic development as a transportation objective
_10___ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
_8___ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

I would be interested in learning more about the private sector role. Would it ever be possible to make mass transit profitable? I know the state Republican party hosted a speaker at its policy conference last summer who argued for a larger private sector role. The state of Indiana also has done lots of work with private toll roads.

Joe Mansky (10)
10 Revenue
5 Metro Council-metro counties relationship
8 Transit operating expense
6 Priority for rail transit
9 State transportation policy structure
9 Private sector role
7 Economic development as a transportation objective
5 Easing congestion; promoting mobility
9 Serving non-downtown transit destinations
Other, please list: _____________________________________

From my perspective, the funding issue is critical to the entire transportation situation. There are three elements to the funding issue: 1) the method of funding the construction, maintenance and operations of the transportation system; 2) use of the funding mechanism to provide an incentive to use the transportation system most effectively and 3) using the transportation system to affect long-term land use decisions.

It will be interesting to see how much of a decline in the state gas tax revenue we see this year as people drive less in response to the rapid increase in gasoline prices. An example: by riding my bike to work today, I not only save one gallon of gas, I also reduce the state's revenue by 25 cents. If every driver in the state buys one less gallon of gas per work day, over the span of a year, the state would lose nearly $200 million in revenue.

Clearly, we must adopt an alternative to the gas tax to support our transportation system. Perhaps the Civic Caucus could concentrate its efforts on this one important issue.

Charles Lutz (9)
___ 7 Revenue
___ 7 Metro Council-metro counties relationship
____7 Transit operating expense
____8 Priority for rail transit
____8 State transportation policy structure
____5 Private sector role
____7 Economic development as a transportation objective
____8 Easing congestion; promoting mobility
____8 Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Matt Kane (10)
__10__ Revenue
__7__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__9__ Transit operating expense
__7__ Priority for rail transit
__7__ State transportation policy structure
__8__ Private sector role
___8_ Economic development as a transportation objective
__8__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__7__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Perhaps more key issues than the Civic Caucus will want to focus on, in which case there'd be a need to narrow them down.

David Broden (8)
__6__ Revenue
__7__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__7__ Transit operating expense
___6_ Priority for rail transit
__10__ State transportation policy structure
__4__ Private sector role
___5_ Economic development as a transportation objective
__7__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
_8___ Serving non-downtown transit destinations
_9___ Other, please list: A total Statewide approach to transportation of people and products--commerce and people must interact and use the resources together--this must reach not just to the metro areas and across the state but also to the region, national and international commerce etc. Clearly, for example how we allocate and use resources of land, people, materials and energy must be all linked as we move ahead--transportation must not get structured as a parochial approach it must be a fully integrated structure and avoid the "pockets of interest etc."

The dialogue on transportation has been a valuable and productive discussion which has both provided direction and clarity and also raised the level of focus on some topics which are particularly critical. It is likely that the discussion of roles/responsibilities was not getting the attention needed until these discussions were initiated. Certainly the public observation is that the various government units are working transportation and there is like very little attention by the average citizen about what body does what. This is also likely to be true of some of the elected officials who may not have been involved in the transportation cycle. What has happened as I see it is that the Civic Caucus has raised the topic of how do we govern the transportation needs for citizens, public safety, and commerce--in terms of transit, personal travel etc.

I suggest that the Civic Caucus move ahead with continued attention to transportation with a priority focus to governance--not what is needed or how it gets done and when but who plans, manages, and guides as well as operates the capability needed for the overall public good. If the Civic Caucus works on governance and some real results are evolved the system can/will change and the infrastructure will evolve effectively.

Tom Swain (7)
__10__ Revenue
__5__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__6__ Transit operating expense
__8__ Priority for rail transit
__9__ State transportation policy structure
__9__ Private sector role
__9__ Economic development as a transportation objective
__3__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__9__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Marianne Curry (8)

10 Revenue
9 Fed/State/Metro/County relationships related to revenue flow,
authority, strings
10 Transit operating expense
0 Priority for rail transit (my view is that the Central Corridor
is driven by availability of fed $$$; it does not solve the congestion
problem; it will eliminate the most profitable Metro bus line; it may not add more riders; it will certainly disrupt small businesses on University; it does not include replacement of lost parking without which these businesses cannot survive)
0 State structure (my view is that structure and function are the
wrong question; what we need is accountability and quality of leadership, which has been low at both the legislative and agency levels; let's give the new commissioner time to make changes)
0 Private sector role
0 Economic development as a transportation objective (this is the
wrong objective, ie., development will come if the venture capital and
density of population are in place
10 Easing congestion; promoting mobility (targeted to the working
poor and workplace demands on public transportation; keep in mind that only 10-15% of jobs are in the downtowns)
8 Serving non-downtown transit destinations (the question is how
effective are current rideshare and bus modes and can they be improved with more parking lots?)
Other Rather than chasing the old structure issue, I believe we need
to dig deeper into what effect the diffusion of authority has on the value the public gets out of transportation dollars. For example, we know that paperwork and red tape use up 30% of the healthcare dollars spent. I suspect the same is happening with transportation and education. The farther away the dollars are resourced, the lower the accountability and quality of service. If local people are vested in the issue, there is higher quality of service and higher degree of participation in decision making, I believe.

There is a perception that federal transit dollars are free, therefore, we better grab it before some other state does, whether the project makes sense or not. As governments get squeezed at all levels as boomers retire from the workforce, the value of dollars spent becomes increasingly critical. This is especially true now with the rate of unfunded federal debt. Can inflation be far behind?

Larry and Ann Schluter (10)
__8__ Revenue
_8___ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__8__ Transit operating expense
_6___ Priority for rail transit
_9___ State transportation policy structure
_6___ Private sector role
_5___ Economic development as a transportation objective
__9_ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__8__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

I feel that Civic Caucus needs to continue the push for better transportation policy. The state, Metro council and local all need to work together and it appears there is no one to bring all of these groups together at the table to discuss it.

Steve Alderson (5)
___5_ Revenue
___8_ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__10__ Transit operating expense
__10__ Priority for rail transit
____ State transportation policy structure
___0_ Private sector role
___0_ Economic development as a transportation objective
___5_ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__5__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Transportation infrastructure receives too much attention. Energy consumption and efficiency issues are more important.

Bob Brown (3)
__10__ State transportation policy structure
__10_ Other, please list: Integrating transportation planning with
overall state planning - taking a systemic approach to dealing with public policy issues.

I think you have had a good discussion about transportation issues, but I think a greater emphasis should be placed on how to improve the processes of encouraging candidates, and nominating and electing people to public office who have broader vision and who are capable of seeing things systemically and who respect others even though they might not
agree on specific policy issues. We either have to change who is in office or get the people who are in office to open their minds. The media and opinion leaders all have a role to play in this.

Jim Hetland (9)
_9___ Revenue
_5___ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
8____ Transit operating expense
_4___ Priority for rail transit
_9___ State transportation policy structure
9____ Private sector role
_2___ Economic development as a transportation objective
_9___ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
_6___ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Scott Halstead (10)
10____ Revenue
10____ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
10____ Transit operating expense
6 ____ Priority for rail transit
10____ State transportation policy structure
8 ____ Private sector role
4 ____ Economic development as a transportation objective
10/9___Easing congestion; promoting mobility
10____ Serving non-downtown transit destinations
First, thank you for undertaking the transit series. 2008 was a start for the legislature in funding transportation and transit. We need better governance, funding, planning and objectives for transit and transportation. We clearly have wasted most of our light rail transit expenditures thus far.

Joe Lampe (10)
__5__ Revenue
__5__ Metro Council-metro counties relationship
__5__ Transit operating expense
__0__ Priority for rail transit
__10__ State transportation policy structure
__10__ Private sector role
__0__ Economic development as a transportation objective
__10__ Easing congestion; promoting mobility
__10__ Serving non-downtown transit destinations

Greer Lockhart (10)
__10__ State transportation policy structure