The WayneWho staff has noticed a growing trend with city, county, and state governments outsourcing decisions on how taxpayer money should be spent to non-elected bodies. We believe that this is a dangerous trend in government that needs to be monitored much more closely.
Tonight, hidden away in the Consent Agenda for the City of Kissimmee Commission meeting, is a request for approval on the annual funding agreement for MetroPlan Orlando. We feel the name of this social club speaks for itself, and we question why we are continuing to pay membership dues to a club that has failed so miserably. The whole idea that we need to pay membership dues to a club whose main purpose is to develop better transportation plans for the Metro Orlando area instead of using the $39,301.00 to fund our own transportation solutions makes no sense at all. Is this $39,301.00 paid out of the gas tax money since this is a social club about traffic? That argument worked on the fountain, so why not for this? And why are we not concentrating on our own issues instead of following the failed lead of other "Regional" governments who have not been able to fix their own problems. All these little groups do is create "decision shelters" that operate much like "tax shelters" for the rich. These shelters allow things to get done without prying eyes being able to see what is going on even though it is your money that is funding the club.
We believe that it is time to in-source the process of fixing our traffic problems. It is time for the counties and cities to put together a group that will create a plan that will work for our community. It is time we put our people on the problem, because it is in their direct interest to fix the issues instead of letting the problems build year after year. Osceola County residents have a unique quality of dealing with issues head on instead of thinking about them over a latte. We believe that we should adopt one of the favorite Latin phrases of English physicist and novelist C.P. Snow: "Aut viam inveniam aut faciam." I'll find a way or make one. Let's make our own way and stop paying the social club dues.
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17 comments:
Just a bunch of ninnies that sit around and drink tea and laugh at all of us stuck in traffic. Then then come up with stupid ideas like 'commuter trains' to see if we will spend our money on it. And of course our local officals just right in and spend the bucks on this junk. Find a cheaper way to network or pay for it out of your own pocket!!!
I think you are right. I think it is time we ditch the special interest groups from Orlando and focus on fixing our own county. The only problem is that our current slate of elected officals do not have a clue on what to do the fix the mess they have made. That is why they pay MetroPlan in the first place. So it looks like they are fixing something.
Good afternoon. My name is Kelley Teague and I am the director of public affairs for METROPLAN ORLANDO, the regional transportation planning agency for Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties.
METROPLAN ORLANDO was created by federal law, state statute, and progressive regional thinking to address our community's transportation needs. Our board decides how federal and state transportation dollars will be spent in the three-county area - a key importance to the people who live and work in Kissimmee.
I encourage you to find out more about metropolitan planning organizations, such as METROPLAN ORLANDO. These organizations create long range transportation plans, with the help of citizens throughout the region.
You can learn more about METROPLAN ORLANDO by visiting our Web site - www.metroplanorlando.com.
I find it interesting who the 'citizens' are on these different boards. Is there anyone without some type of special interest??? They do have a nice website though.
The only part I would argue with you Wayne Who is that Metroplan has done very little to help the traffic problems in Orange county. As a long time resident and commuter in Orange, I do not believe that the planning effort has been to our benefit. I just got home after sitting in traffic for almost 2 hours (rain was not part of the plan) in a commute that takes me from the north side of Orange to the south side in Hunters Creek. I would say they have put together a plan that does not work. Maybe it looks like those of us in Orange county benefit from this agency, but I don't think that is true.
Once again I see people complain on here about something and then no one shows up at the Commission meeting to protest or speak against the MetroPlan item. I know, I know, everyone has their own lives to worry about and no time to go to a half hour meeting. No time to speak out and no time to run for office and make things better. So quit complaining or do something beside writing nasty comments on a the internet.
I find it interesting that your blog is being read by the director of public affairs for METROPLAN ORLANDO, as well as Orange County residents. Keep up the good work.
Interesting points.
METROPLAN ORLANDO is required to have elected officials on the voting board. That is outlined in state statute. However, there are five committees that advise the board - including the Citizens' Advisory Committee, Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, Transportation Technical Committee, Municipal Advisory Committee, and the Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board - which is made up of seniors and people with disabilities. If you would like to attend the board meeting or a committee meeting, feel free to email me at kteague@metroplanorlando.com. I'd be happy to go through the calendar with you.
Unfortunately, transportation planning can only do so much. Right now there is a $2 BILLION difference between the critical transportation projects identified in METROPLAN ORLANDO's Long Range Transportation Plan and available funding.
We expect this number to grow considerably by the time the next version of the plan is complete. For example, a single interchange improvement in one county will cost $120 MILLION.
Road construction is very expensive. A good portion of that cost is purchasing the Right of Way (or land) for the project. Costs, plus the anticipated change in air quality standards set by the EPA, make transit options (which are far cheaper and more environmentally sensitive) more appealing.
Think about it...the Kissimmee population is expected to double in the coming years. That means, even if money fell out of the sky, doubling the number of roads, doubling the number of lanes on existing roads, and doubling the amount of parking spaces will only create the same level of service we have today.
It's a lot to consider.
What is always funny about discussions with the MetroPlan folks, and yes, I have been to some of the meetings, is that they talk like this all of the time. All they say is that there is nothing we can do and we are trying to come up with a plan with limited resources. That is fine and dandy, but for how many years was we fund a $3,000,000 budget to get no plan. There is no plan. There are only small bits and pieces that are used like political footballs. Just ask the folks a 436 and 17-92 who were hoping for a flyover to help move traffic. Answer... No...
That's funny...there's a plan tab on the website here:
http://www.metroplanorlando.com/site/upload/documents/2025_LRTP_Exec_Summary.pdf
Population expected to double??? Have you not been paying attention to the news, or are you just living in the MetroPlan cave of shame. People are leave Florida. This goes for Kissimmee just as well. 5 massive housing projects on hold, but who is counting. Maybe now it is time from MetroScam to start doing the work it should have been doing years ago!
You are nuts if you think that people leaving the state is a permanent thing. But dear God I do wish it to be true. In a few years everything will go back to normal and 1000's of people will move to Florida everyday. And the same people who are against things like MetroPlan now will asked why MetroPlan didn't do anything. Of course, everyone is against MetroPlan and commuter rail, but no one has suggested anything better or more viable.
Well, I am glad someone is finally admitting to the trend of people leaving Florida instead of moving in to it. It is about time someone got the fact right and stopped talking all this growth mumbo-jumbo. The trend will reverse itself, you are correct, but are groups like MetroPlan the ones to provide solutions. If you look at the original post by the Wayne Who writers, you will see that they do not say that MetroPlan is bad, they say that MetroPlan is not helping in Kissimmee, or at least not for the $39G amount. They also point out that elected officals hide behind groups like this instead of finding solutions to fix the traffic problems. Looking at their post, it appears that all they are saying is that we need our own MetroPlan for our community. Call them nuts if you want, but I like the idea.
Actually there have been many alternate ideas for commuter rail that always seemd to get shot down by the politicos. The ideas are just not fancy enough for them to get excited about. As far as MetroPlan goes, it looks to me like someone is making a suggestion for something different. Local money, local control. Besides, isn't MetroPlan involved with the Orange County expressway authority is some fashion? Sounds like it is time for an audit!
Nuts for thinking people will never return to the state of florida?? You are the one that is nuts. With what they have done to this state people don't want to move here. Bad traffic, high cost of living, high taxes and hurricanes... Oh yeah, where do I sign up for that...
And as far as making suggestions about more viable plans, let me get this one straight, not only do I have to pay these idiots to come up with ideas to fix the messes that they have created, but now I have to give them the ideas too? That is stupid. Not surprising, but stupid...
This sounds like a job for Payne Evans and Adam Moore... Show me the roads Payne... Show me the roads!
I love those episodes!
Maybe the MetroPlan people are just upset that their plan is just a ball of yarn?
Did the person that actually posted the link to the transportation 'plan' read it first? Here is a perfect example of something that is produced by a quasi-governmental taxing body: While the scope of the 2025 LRTP is impressive, the investments made through the plan still will not meet all of the transportation needs of the region. ...planned improvments are limited to available funding. Much more funding, however, is needed to completely meet the growing demands on the region's transportation system.
So even if we had all of the money we needed, the 'plan' would not address the transporation needs and we don't have the money to pay for this anyway. That is the plan? That is what $3,000,000 a year gets us. I only have one question, is MetroPlan hiring, sounds like a great place to work with good job security.
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