The most recent Mayor Slay mini-poll is about Metro. The questions pertain to largely to the eventual vote in St. Louis County to implement a 1/2% sales tax to support Metro. The poll asks if you ride Metro, if you’re aware of any effects decreased service has had and whether you support various expansion ideas (bus, train, call-a-ride, etc.).
We should all take the poll and voice our strong support for increased Metro funding and services. Personally, I would like to see mass transit focused on quality service in St. Louis City and the dense near suburbs such as Maplewood, Clayon and University City to name just a few. Mass transit works as a system and the system only works well where a critical mass of riders are present, where there is density.
I hope that a north-south Metrolink or streetcar line is built in the City instead of a commuter rail line to some suburban locale in the County. Metro needs County money, but certainly Metrolink will never reach the majority of County residents. It’s going to be easier to sell a functioning, purposeful mass transit system than a single County line. I believe that this is true even in the County.
I continue to dwell on those points, but it’s really an argument for another day. Without support the argument is moot. Without funding Metro services will see deep cuts and our region will be without what continues to be a high quality public transit system. So go to the Mayor Slay mini-poll and tell him how much you value Metro!
