20 July 2016
I promised myself to say no more about Hamilton's LRT. I'm telling myself that I'm not really breaking my promise today, because this is more about progressivism and persuasion. This concerns the use of an op-ed piece in favor of the LRT by the Hamilton Spectator in its bid to see the LRT project put through.
The Hamilton Spectator today published an op-ed piece by Matt Pinder, headlined "Time to go all-in on Hamilton LRT." Pinder is described as "a cyclist, driver, transit user, and proud graduate of McMaster University. Currently working as a transportation researcher, he is passionate about the future of mobility." The picture accompanying the article makes Mr. Pinder look as though he was in his mid-20s. You have to wonder at the desperation of the Spectator's editors that they can't find anybody of greater weight than Pinder to advance the case.
In reading this piece by Matt Pinder, I asked myself why I
should be persuaded by what he said? He’s a kid. He’s drunk the LRT
kool-aid. From his profile, it doesn’t look like he drives much. He
regurgitates the pro-LRT talking points with the energy and confidence of a
used-car salesman (with due apologies to used-car salesmen). He uses
words like, “absolutely.” I put that down to youth and inexperience.
He misses the obvious: Touting the “fourth year in
a row, more than $1 billion in new construction permits were approved in 2015,”
it doesn’t occur to him that the $1 billion LRT construction project will
represent less than 10 percent of all construction in this city by the time it
is finished. So, what makes this billion so much more crucial than the
more than $15 billion in private construction that will take place by the time
the LRT is finished?
He is full of advice, sacrifices we will have to make, (good
for us sacrifices!) for making transit work, and that it will improve our
“waistlines,” as a benefit. It is all up to us, you realize.
It’s not hard to figure this out. That $15 billion is
private money. The LRT is a government thing. Transit is government
run. Making this work is the moral equivalent of war.
He’s a progressive. And that’s all you need to know.
-30-
The $15 billion in private investment in construction in Hamilton that will happen between 2011 and the completion of the LRT project (between 2024 and 2028) is found by extrapolating the four years of more than $1 billion referenced in the article to the end of the project. The point is that the LRT was and is held to be an economic stimulus to Hamilton, and here it is actually a small amount compared to private investment. So, what was it's point, again?
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