Poll says CenterLine liked

Deirdre Newman

A recently released survey shows that 69% of county residents say

they would probably or definitely vote in favor of the proposed

CenterLine light rail system, which will run through the city.

The survey, released Aug. 28, was sponsored by the Orange County

Business Council, which is neutral on CenterLine, and Cal State

Fullerton Center for Public Policy. It shows increased public support

for a light-rail project compared to a survey by the two entities in

September 2003. Last year, 51% of respondents said they would

“probably” or “definitely” vote in favor of building a light rail in

Orange County.

CenterLine is a planned 9.3-mile route from Santa Ana to John

Wayne Airport through Costa Mesa. The City Council voted in 2001 to

support the project. But Orange County Transportation Authority

officials, who developed the project, are having trouble securing

federal funding needed to build it. They are looking to the federal

government to provide half of the approximately $1-billion cost of

the project. The other half would come from Measure M -- the

half-cent sales tax to fund transportation improvements in Orange

County passed by voters in 1990.

Although the City Council supports CenterLine, some residents

don’t. And some of those residents found fault with the survey.

“I think [the percentage] is accurate, and I think it’s accurate

because I don’t think [the respondents] have enough information on

it,” resident Mike Berry said. “I don’t think people know what it

will cost and the impact it will have on the area, and I think if

they were to get a little more information, they might not be in

favor of it.”

The survey showed that respondents were no more familiar with the

specific CenterLine project than when similar survey questions were

asked last September. Both times, 49% of respondents said they were

“not familiar” with CenterLine.

The survey asked two questions -- one about respondents’

familiarity with CenterLine and one asking people how they felt about

after a brief summary of the project was explained to them. The

question asked was, “If a vote were held today, would you definitely

vote against CenterLine, probably vote against, probably vote in

favor, or definitely vote in favor of CenterLine light rail?

There will be no public vote on CenterLine because the

transportation authority board of directors voted twice against

recommending to county supervisors that it go to the ballot. This

survey mirrors others that have been conducted by independent polling

organizations that show strong residential support for CenterLine,

said Ted Nguyen, spokesman for the Orange County Transportation

Authority. Costa Mesa City Councilwoman Libby Cowan said the critics

represent a minority.

“I think that Orange County residents have long supported the

CenterLine, because we voted that part of the Measure M monies would

go to light rail, so it’s been going on for a long time,” Cowan said.

“I think that most of us in the community see the long-term benefits

of creating some kind of mass-transit program.”

Authority board chairman Greg Winterbottom hopes the majority of

the county’s congressional delegation -- which has been resistant to

pushing for federal funding of the light-rail project -- takes

notice.

“I don’t know how we can get our constituents to speak more to our

elected [officials],” Winterbottom said. “I hope it’s read widely.”

Rep. Chris Cox could not be reached for comment.