tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17629790.post114588669214029464..comments2024-03-29T02:23:04.995-06:00Comments on twin city sidewalks: ** News Flash **Bill Lindekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373780012930618768noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17629790.post-1146147413187950302006-04-27T08:16:00.000-06:002006-04-27T08:16:00.000-06:00I agree with Mr. Francl, that the idea of "givings...I agree with Mr. Francl, that the idea of "givings" (as opposed to "takings") is a good one. It seems like a great way to help fund transit investment, though it might be a bit more politically difficult to explain to people than broad taxes. People along transit corridors are difficult enough to woo at present, and such a tax would only make it more so. <BR/><BR/>That said, I think metro gov'ts (or the Met Council) should look at ways to combine broad county/state taxes with TOD "givings" as they fund a few more LRT lines in the next few years.Bill Lindekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11373780012930618768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17629790.post-1146026078485008222006-04-25T22:34:00.000-06:002006-04-25T22:34:00.000-06:00I think the LRT-inspired boom is a good example of...I think the LRT-inspired boom is a good example of how transit could be partially funded through a special property tax district, where some of the increased revenue due to transit would be allocated to pay for the transit.<BR/><BR/>The land along the Hiawatha line is more valuable now than before the LRT was built. The land along University is going up simply because an LRT line is proposed! Metro Transit should get some of that money to use as a dedicated source of transit funding, and build more lines.Luke Franclhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04720299973259205571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17629790.post-1146011364993138362006-04-25T18:29:00.000-06:002006-04-25T18:29:00.000-06:00I had not known about the increased property inves...I had not known about the increased property investment along University Ave, but it certainly makes sense, not only in the context of LRT planning, but also in the context of rising oil prices that raise fears among the educated and affluent that we may soon be entering the post-suburban era. For that reason, I think that the "saturation" of the downtown condo market will not be so for long, as continued energy price increases lead to rapidly increasing demand for downtown real estate. I hope that this does not lead to even worsening racial and class divisions through increasing segregation of city neighborhoods. There was an article in the NY Times today about how the pre-Katrina income of a given neighborhood in New Orleans not only determined which neighborhoods this classist storm demolished, but will determine which neighborhoods are reborn. Eastover, a wealthy neighborhood that was affected by the hurricane, has already contacted all of its former residents and begun reconstruction work with architects and urban planners, while residents of the Lower Ninth Ward, a working-class neighborhood, cannot even afford to travel to a common location for an initial planning meeting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17629790.post-1145905968691114742006-04-24T13:12:00.000-06:002006-04-24T13:12:00.000-06:00Great article about property values along the Univ...Great article about property values along the University Avenue Corridor and I agree that local mom-and pop, ethnic buisness must remain open and be preserved. However, how are we as the city of St. Paul and some degree Minneapolis or the state of Minnesota going to make it so these buisnesses are not displaced? Are there any laws or ordinances that can be legislated to prevent these smaller shops (which people in St. Paul want) and keep national chains out?Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04645223917476450374noreply@blogger.com