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Transit is 'process that can never stop'

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By TED JACKOVICS

tjackovi@tampatrib.com

Published: November 3, 2009

TAMPA - Charlotte, N.C.'s mayor politely suggested Monday that the Tampa Bay area was behind its competition when it comes to the transportation networks necessary for job recruitment.

Then Mayor Patrick McCrory shared with 300 community leaders the experiences that led to Charlotte's recent transit-oriented success.

The strong turnout for the regional transportation session provided a further example the local transit movement is gaining momentum. Hillsborough County leaders are trying to get a 1-cent sales tax referendum for transit on the November 2010 ballot.

"You are taking a very courageous political step," McCrory told elected officials advocating improved transit. "You will be called every name in the book."

McCrory did not campaign on transportation issues 14 years ago when he first won election as Charlotte's mayor, but quickly learned the area's job and economic well-being would depend on much-improved transportation, he said.

"The right wing didn't want to do anything but build roads," said McCrory, a conservative Republican. "The left wanted to put transit everywhere out of a fairness issue.

"Both were wrong."

McCrory said persuading the public to support improved transportation with tax dollars to gain federal matching funds requires a huge sales job.

Mecklenburg (N.C) County approved a half-cent sales tax to finance public transportation in 1998. Then voters in 2007 turned back a surprise tax repeal movement just two weeks before the light rail portion of Charlotte's transit network opened.

"Do not treat transportation as a project, treat it as a process that can never stop," McCrory said.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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