Quick Take:
Sen. Laphonza Butler announced she won’t run for a full term in 2024. Her entry would’ve shaken up an already volatile...
ADVERTISEMENT
Throughout the YES Greenway campaign to bring a wide multi-use trail to Santa Cruz County, there has been a steady stream of misinformation coming from the No Way Greenway campaign. Thankfully, the civil servants charged with providing accurate information to the public are doing their job and offer a clear rebuttal to No Way Greenway’s misleading and negative campaign.
In a series of questions posed to the Regional Transportation Commission’s (RTC) Legal Counsel, Steve Mattas, and published on Thursday, May 5, the RTC’s answers prove that much of the propaganda at the core of the No on D campaign is false misdirection, intended to fool well-intentioned voters into voting against progress.
The full answers in the RTC Legal Counsel’s document are available via the RTC website, and we recommend taking a look at it in its entirety. Abbreviated answers follow:
The No Way Greenway campaign asserts that the study or pursuit of funds for passenger rail would cease with the passage of Measure D.
Q: Would passage of the Greenway Initiative prevent this [RTC] commission from studying or pursuing funds for passenger rail if needed?
A: RTC Counsel: No.
The No Way Greenway campaign asserts that the passage of Measure D will prevent a passenger train from ever being built.
Q: Will passage of the Greenway Initiative legally prevent a passenger train from being built?
A: RTC Counsel: No, assuming the passenger rail is constructed by SCCRTC (Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission) or its contractor.
The No Way Greenway campaign asserts that railbanking through Measure D will serve to prevent any planning for future passenger rail, rather than protect it.
Q: Does railbanking protect the corridor for a future passenger train?
A: RTC Counsel: Yes.
The No Way Greenway campaign asserts that a passenger rail system could not be built with the corridor railbanked.
Q: Does railbanking have to be “withdrawn” to build a passenger train system?
A. RTC Counsel: No.
The answers above by the RTC Counsel, and their clear repudiation of No Way Greenway’s propaganda, show that their months-long misinformation campaign has purposely misled the public.
From now until June 7th, you have your chance to have YOUR voice heard. Read the facts. Don’t be fooled. Vote YES on Measure D.