Comments on: Analysis: Denver’s Transit-burbia http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/road-to-the-future/analysis-denvers-transit-burbia/667/ Blueprint America | PBS Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:53:28 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Allen http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/road-to-the-future/analysis-denvers-transit-burbia/667/comment-page-1/#comment-435 Allen Sat, 30 May 2009 21:15:15 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=667#comment-435 At this point we know the 2016 date for Fastracks is incorrect. It can only be met if a the sales tax for the Fastracks is doubled. That needs to be passed by a vote and at this point it looks likely that such a doubling of the tax will not pass. At this point with sales tax revenues and the 40% cost overruns, the completion year for Fastracks is 2034. At this point we know the 2016 date for Fastracks is incorrect. It can only be met if a the sales tax for the Fastracks is doubled. That needs to be passed by a vote and at this point it looks likely that such a doubling of the tax will not pass.

At this point with sales tax revenues and the 40% cost overruns, the completion year for Fastracks is 2034.

]]> By: Kathleene Parker http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/road-to-the-future/analysis-denvers-transit-burbia/667/comment-page-1/#comment-408 Kathleene Parker Fri, 22 May 2009 22:21:30 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=667#comment-408 I think this presentation and indeed most of our views on a multitude of environmental/infrastructure topics miss the OVERRIDING point. BLUEPRINT referred to U. S. population and population projections as almost inevitable, as set in concrete. Yet, our demographic future is being decided by us today. Another 100 million Americans is inevitable only if we don't act. No one ever asks why other developed nations' populations have stabilized and we boom. Point: To 2050, HALF of all growth on the planet will be fueled by just 8 nations, with the U.S. fourth among them! (U.N. data) Repeat! We are a demographic super giant! Why and how did that happen? We are one of just 3 nations, along with China and India, with more than 300 million citizens and we are the world's 4th fastest growing nation due to 2 causes: unfettered immigration (against the advice of a 1972 Presidential Commission on population) and a birth rate that last year exceeded the baby boom of 1957, not due to women have as many children per woman but due to MORE women having children. The U.S. has experienced a POPULATION EXPLOSION since World War II with that escalating post 1990, yet it is the absolutely unacknowledged elephant in the room. WE--INCLUDING THE NEWS MEDIA AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS--REFUSE TO ALLOW IT ONTO THE TABLE AS THE CAUSE IT IS OR AS A FACET OF SOLUTIONS! As long as we dodge this critical topic, no problem--global warming, sprawl, infrastructure, education, medical care, economics, water shortages, endangered species--will really be solved long term because population growth will consume all the gains we get from conservation, planning and technology. The same Presidential Commission in 1972 urged the U.S. to draft and pass a population policy, yet we still have none,nor are Americans educated about or informed about population and we're certainly not having a national dialog about what is best for our demographic future. That must change as even cities like Portland will not, long term, hold the resulting pressures at bay! I think this presentation and indeed most of our views on a multitude of environmental/infrastructure topics miss the OVERRIDING point. BLUEPRINT referred to U. S. population and population projections as almost inevitable, as set in concrete. Yet, our demographic future is being decided by us today. Another 100 million Americans is inevitable only if we don’t act. No one ever asks why other developed nations’ populations have stabilized and we boom. Point: To 2050, HALF of all growth on the planet will be fueled by just 8 nations, with the U.S. fourth among them! (U.N. data) Repeat! We are a demographic super giant! Why and how did that happen? We are one of just 3 nations, along with China and India, with more than 300 million citizens and we are the world’s 4th fastest growing nation due to 2 causes: unfettered immigration (against the advice of a 1972 Presidential Commission on population) and a birth rate that last year exceeded the baby boom of 1957, not due to women have as many children per woman but due to MORE women having children. The U.S. has experienced a POPULATION EXPLOSION since World War II with that escalating post 1990, yet it is the absolutely unacknowledged elephant in the room. WE–INCLUDING THE NEWS MEDIA AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS–REFUSE TO ALLOW IT ONTO THE TABLE AS THE CAUSE IT IS OR AS A FACET OF SOLUTIONS! As long as we dodge this critical topic, no problem–global warming, sprawl, infrastructure, education, medical care, economics, water shortages, endangered species–will really be solved long term because population growth will consume all the gains we get from conservation, planning and technology. The same Presidential Commission in 1972 urged the U.S. to draft and pass a population policy, yet we still have none,nor are Americans educated about or informed about population and we’re certainly not having a national dialog about what is best for our demographic future. That must change as even cities like Portland will not, long term, hold the resulting pressures at bay!

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