CenterLine continues to push buttons

The Daily Pilot reported Wednesday that a group of CenterLine

light-rail opponents convened in Costa Mesa to voice their opposition

to the project. The 9.3-mile light rail is to connect the Santa Ana

to John Wayne Airport, via South Coast Plaza area.

Among the opponents was Chuck DeVore, a candidate for State

Assembly, alleging the CenterLine is a boondoggle, a huge waste of

money. But the federal government, which is to pay half of the price

tag of CenterLine, doesn’t see it as a waste of money and the project

actually earned “recommend” status for future federal funding. And

last week, received a $1.5 million grant to continue preliminary

engineering.

Then, Garden Grove City Councilman Mark Leyes suggested an

amendment on Measure M -- the 1/2-% sales tax that pays for

transportation improvements in Orange County -- in order to

reallocate funds to other projects from CenterLine.

What’s the Leyes’ ulterior motive?

He wants the funds for the CenterLine to be diverted to the $400

million Garden Grove Freeway Improvement. This reflects the view of

the Garden Grove City Council, which isn’t willing to pay for street

improvements related to the freeway improvements.

Self-serving is a term that comes to mind.

And Mike Berry, who is eyeing at a position on the Costa Mesa City

Council, said that Costa Mesa residents haven’t had a chance to vote

on whether to build CenterLine. Back in 1990, when Measure M passed

in Orange County, it included a transit improvement component called

“High-Technology Advanced Rail Transit,” which is today the

CenterLine.

It’s very interesting that I haven’t heard opposition to the $150

million San Diego and Costa Mesa freeway interchange improvement

project, currently underway, which is also using money generated from

Measure M. Where was Berry to suggest a vote on whether or not to

improve the interchange? Or does he just not see the blatant double

standard he is imposing on the CenterLine?

But the ultimate question is, where were they during the

CenterLine’s public review process last fall? During the 45-day

public comment period, we were able to see the thousands of pages of

documents on the light rail project, and submit comments. In fact, I

took time to send comments myself. The Federal Transit Administration

will review all comments.

I’m sick and tired of bunch of self-serving politicians and

wannabe heroes trying to get some exposure by trying to bend and

override the process, and get some publicity while at it. Don’t they

have anything better to do?

CHRISTIAN KROELLS

Newport Beach

Spending government money never seems to bother the average

citizen because we all believe that at least something good may

eventually come out of it. This last Wednesday night we attended a

meeting, after we received a call from a local restaurateur, whose

business future is threatened because of the proposed CenterLine

project.

Avo’s Bistro -- and in no little part, the Wyndham Hotel, near

South Coast Plaza -- is destined for “relocation” and, or cultural

shock by eminent domain should the CenterLine project become reality.

These people are not “haters” of anything but rather, citizens under

a government thumb created by the Orange County Transportation Agency

policy-makers, who believe that free money from the government is a

good thing no matter who or what it affects.

In addition, this gathering included major community activists

from all around the county -- presumably, without any vested or non

vested interest in CenterLine. The kicker to this story is that $500

million will come out of Measure M funds (remember that extra tax we

pay to improve our roads?) Those that met at Avo’s believe that we

could probably fix a lot of pot holes and perhaps even widen the

Garden Grove and Riverside freeways before we ruin lives for a train

that goes from nowhere to nowhere. The reality is that the CenterLine

project is not hateful at all and the people in attendance were not

hateful. CenterLine is just another plainly pathetic attempt to spend

other people’s money for a “make work” program that will have far

less ridership than the current bus system but creates at least a 20

year infrastructure of new tax requirements. If you call this hateful

-- you might want to look at the county officials who are supporting

it before characterizing anyone else.

RON AND ANNA WINSHIP

Newport Beach