Prop A and You
Confession: I hate to drive. It’s not that I’m a bad driver. I just find navigating crowded streets stressful and powering down long highways dull. Not to mention my aversion to spewing greenhouse gasses into the air every time I turn on the motor. If I do have to drive, I will let my passengers know how much I despise the activity by exclaiming, “I hate driving!” whenever another driver cuts me off, or I have to merge, or I get stuck at a long red light.
By extension, I love public transportation. When I think of buses and trains, I remember going to events and exploring the city with large groups of friends, sitting next to someone who I otherwise would never interact with, and having time to relax and do a crossword puzzle. In fact, I love public transportation so much that I (somewhat foolishly) spent eight hours one winter day riding the entirety of the subway system in Boston, from the start to the end of every line.
To me, using pubic transportation is a means to get where I want without harming the environment. But right here in St. Louis County, public transportation is a political issue as well as an environmental one. Specifically, on April 6 voters will decide Metro’s fate by voting on Proposition A. If passed, Prop A will increase the sales tax one half of one percent and raise $75 million in revenue for Metro services. The new revenue will restore MetroLink, MetroBus, and Call-a-Ride Services previously cut in 2009 and allow for future expansion of these services.
Given that it is appearing in an off-peak, April election, Prop A has become extremely political and contentious.
Prominent supporters of Prop A include St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, Chancellor Wrighton, and a non-profit group called Citizens for Modern Transit. Opponents include John Burns, who was involved with the gulag that was built on campus last fall, and a competing organization called Citizens for Better Transit. The comment pages on Post-Dispatch and Student Life articles related to Prop A have been absolutely buzzing with pointed comments from both sides. This is bound to be a close election, and with only the small county population voting, every vote matters.
Public transportation is vital to a city like St. Louis. It provides economic benefits for individuals and communities, allowing individuals to cheaply commute to work and spurring development near train stations. It also provides numerous social and environmental benefits, such as reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by promoting alternatives to driving. If Prop A does not pass, Metro will be forced to make major cuts that will adversely affect both riders and employees.
I will vote for Prop A because it will help the St. Louis community and the environment (and it will allow me to get around the city without participating in my most hated activity of driving). Everyone who rides Metro has his or her own reasons for supporting the system, and I urge you to find yours. Every successful, vibrant major city has an extensive public transportation system, and St. Louis should be no exception. So remember, on April 6 jump into the fray of a contentious local election and help save public transit in St. Louis!