Didn’t Irvine Just Say No to CenterLine?
Re “CenterLine Funds Stay in Budget,” June 10:
The decision to keep money for CenterLine in OCTA’s budget is one more sign that CenterLine supporters do not understand the meaning of the word “no.” The defeat of pro-CenterLine Measure A in Irvine was an enormous blow to the egos of light-rail advocates. CenterLine supporters spent at least $150,000, including $28,000 of public funds for an OCTA mailer, but failed to pass Measure A.
CenterLine opponents spent only about $7,000 to defeat Measure A, and succeeded, despite being outspent by more than 20 to 1. Imagine how large the margin of victory would have been if the two bank accounts had been switched.
The outcome of the June 3 vote was not “inconclusive,” as OCTA Chairman Tim Keenan said. If Mayor Larry Agran and a pro-light-rail City Council backed by an enormous bankroll could not persuade enough voters to pass Measure A, then it is clearly “conclusive” that Irvine does not want CenterLine.
John Kleinpeter
Chairman, FAIR Transit
Irvine
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