James Toal, a long time leader of Gideon Toal, had something to say. Seems he wants more of YOUR money. For those of you who don't know Gideon Toal, here are some tidbits found online at Gideon Toal and various sites.
Gideon Toal has been retained by Tarrant Regional Water District, in conjunction with Streams and Valleys, City of Fort Worth, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Tarrant County to guide the planning and implementation of “Trinity Uptown™”. Our firm is hired to do phasing, implementation and funding strategies, including establishing a TIF District.
The plan aims to revitalize an 800-acre area north of downtown Fort Worth with a combination of public improvements and private development. Its goal is to provide a vibrant, stimulating environment in which families can live, work, shop, play and learn.
Some other Gideon Toal projects:
Trinity River Master Plan
Trinity River Vision Authority Office
Tarrant Regional Water District Annex
Tarrant County College complex
Tarrant County Jail
See a pattern yet?
In today's paper James Toal says he'll spend the money if YOU will for transit...he wants to do justice for the next generation. Does he mean that generation that will be broke since they will be paying for the Trinity River Vision for the next 40 years? The project and its projects that he has made a fortune from? Talk about throwing our pennies away. If we're paying for all the "private development" maybe Toal should foot the bill for the transportation. Or better yet, hit the road.
Funding transit
Good transportation includes buses, commuter rail, light rail, highways and regional systems.
People try to compare Tarrant County and Fort Worth with the Dallas region, Denver, Portland, etc. Why do Denver and these other regions have light rail, commuter rail and buses?
Answer: The Dallas Area Rapid Transit system receives one penny in sales tax revenue.
Fort Worth's T is mostly a city system that has a half-cent in sales tax. That is the difference between regional systems vs. a mostly local bus system.
If Fort Worth, Tarrant County and adjoining counties to the west, north and south desire better transportation, I suggest that instead of throwing those pennies away, they bond together on a regional system and spend them on transit and transportation.
We do not have a lack of good regional planning; we have some of the best planners and government administrators in the world. We do have a lack of financing.
So spend the extra half-cent. I will if you will. If you don't, we will not do justice to the next generation.
-- James Toal, Fort Worth
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