Rail Project Will Not Go Before Voters
Transportation officials rejected a proposal last week to let Orange County voters have a say in whether to move forward with the controversial CenterLine project -- a $1-billion light rail system that would connect neighboring cities.
The advisory measure would have appeared on the November ballot. But on a 5-4 vote Friday, the Orange County Transportation Authority board killed the idea.
Board member Miguel A. Pulido, a supporter of the rail line, led the opposition, arguing that a ballot measure would be an unwise gamble because voters would probably reject the project.
"It would be a terrible mistake
He suggested that voters who would not benefit from CenterLine -- which would connect downtown Santa Ana to John Wayne Airport -- might not appreciate its values and vote against it.
The proposed rail line has been a source of friction for years. Originally envisioned as running through the heart of the county, passing near Disneyland and Anaheim's sports venues, the project has steadily shrunk. It now would run from the area of county government buildings in Santa Ana through the South Coast Metro district in Costa Mesa, ending near the airport.
The project's cost is estimated at $1 billion, with $500 million expected to come from Washington.
However, it was the current lack of federal funding that caused board member Cathryn DeYoung and other rail opponents to push for the public to weigh in.
The thought was that a countywide vote would be a litmus test: If the electorate supported the idea, lobbying Congress for the needed funds would be easier. If voters rejected the plan, the rail line would probably be dead.
Local members of Congress have been lukewarm toward CenterLine, and there is a shortage of federal money for transportation projects.
Some board members who sided with DeYoung noted that Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Anaheim) was the only one of the six-member Orange County congressional delegation who had expressed support for the project. Until the community rallies around the project, federal funding will remain uncertain, she said.
Pulido, however, said OCTA could generate congressional support through continued lobbying. Allowing voters to decide the merits of CenterLine through an advisory measure would send the wrong signal, he said.
By rejecting the ballot proposal, "it's a strong signal that we're pushing forward," Pulido said.
