missed the stop

The other day we suggested that expanding the Streetcar System a few blocks would be just peachy, as long as elected officials and HARTline quit exaggerating about the greatness of it. The truth is that the entire experience with the trolley line has been one tall tale after another.

It was sold to us in 1998 based on five benefits.

1. The trolley will generate tourism.
2. The streetcar will improve downtown traffic.
3. The slow-moving train doesn’t need, and is not intended for commuting.
4. It will only cost $20 million to build.
5. No operating subsidy is needed from the City of Tampa or HARTline.

That last one is the largest and most often repeated pile of bullsh*t:

• Mayor of Tampa Dick Greco May ’98: “an endowment fund will finance it”
• Greco Oct ’02: “If nobody rides this trolley for eight or 10 years, you’re not going to have to pay for it out of your pocket.”
• Head of the streetcar board Michael English Oct. ‘02: “There’s no sure thing in life, but I see absolutely no possibility that we’ll require such a great public subsidy that it will be a problem.”

Let’s get taken for a ride on the Shamcar System. All Aboard!

First Stop, Tourism Spawning
Business owners at the Grand Opening in October 2002:

“Adults will ride the trolley, and that’s what Ybor City needs,” said
Marian Lasher, owner of Joffrey’s coffee shop on Seventh Avenue. “People who
don’t come here, or haven’t been in a long time, may give us another try.”

Richard McCormack of Grandma’s Attic said “I do see it adding flavor to Ybor City,” he said. “But I don’t see it changing Ybor City.”

Mira Kozel, marketing director for Pop City, hopes the streetcar will boost afternoon business at Channelside. “Many people who work downtown aren’t aware of all the restaurants we have to offer,” she said.

Can you guess what these businesses have in common? That’s right – Joffrey’s, Grandma’s Attic and Pop City have since closed down.

Jenna Kocic, manager of the Green Iguana, Dec ’04: “I don’t … think it’s made an impact on our business.”

Station Number Two, Traffic Triumph
I haven’t noticed any decrease in traffic downtown, but let’s check with Jill Cappadoro, a spokesperson for HARTline in October 2002.

“But the streetcars aren’t designed to solve transportation problems.”

Stop Number Three, Commuter Gratuitous

May 2001: Streetcar organizers: “…the cars will carry at least 350,000 people a year, including… commuters living in Ybor City and on Harbour Island.

December 2004: Mayor Pam: “It is an alternative to taking a car.” City Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena: “… more of a real transportation system than a tourist novelty.”

Station Number Four, Twenty Mill.
This is a good one. Check out the articles in date order:

Overnight, the cost went up $21 million.

I cannot find where either the Times or the Tribune (or any local media) learned what caused the 200% construction cost increase.

Final Stop, Superfluous Subsidy

January 2004: Business plans for the streetcar show that it will need more money than it will generate over the next twenty years, and like Centro Ybor, the City of Tampa could be stuck with the bill. Dick Greco okayed both of them.

September 2004: We’ll have to tax the homeowners for the shortfall.

Geez, if the trolley stops keep looking like these, it really doesn’t need to go any further. Kudos to the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization, who thought that this $3 million can be better spent elsewhere.