Glenn Davis, Virginia Beach City Councilman, launched a resolution that if anyone wants light rail in Virginia Beach, the boss of Hampton Roads Transit’s got to go (Virginian-Pilot has the story and the resolution).
Norfolk’s light rail is already 47% over budget, and more and more Beach Council members are voicing displeasure. Davis’ resolution says light rail stays out of Virginia Beach if Michael Townes is still running the show.
Townes says he ain’t going nowhere (what is it with these appointed folks? These lifelong bureaucrats think the taxpayers work for them.)
Townes says he will not resign and his board wants him to stay. He also blames Norfolk officials for the cost overruns that have made his 232 million dollar project into a 340 million dollar project.
If Davis’ resolution passes, Townes can have his light rail to nowhere so that the good citizens of Newtown Road can commute to Eastern Virginia Medical Center while everyone else drives to Town Center and the Oceanfront. Light rail will be as empty as a MoveOn.Org rally for Glenn Nye.
The question that must be asked is “In the private sector, would anyone with a 47% cost overrun who kept it from his board still have a job the next morning?”
VB Council will vote on the resolution Tuesday. It will then be up to the HRT Board to decide if they want to end light rail at the Norfolk border and continue their transit experiment without the participation of the largest populated city in Virginia.
Or will they let Light Rail go the way of Waterside?
