Last month Kansas City voters sent a clear message to the Toy Train Streetcar expansion cronies that an expansion of any kind needed approval by a city-wide public referendum.  Streetcar proponents, however, just kept on working like nothing ever happened though. Kind of like in the first Star Wars flick where Obi Wan waves his hand in the face of an Imperial Storm trooper and says, “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”

“Move along.”

Now we’re getting wind of a special October 7th election for the Main Street Rail Transportation Development District. The election, if you can call it that, is to “elect” Directors for the midtown TDD. That certainly looks like streetcar expansion to this keen-eyed news dog. And just like in the previously rigged TDD votes, this too is a restricted vote allowing only those registered voters that reside within the taxing district to vote. Operative word there is “reside” because if you own property within the boundaries of the gerrymandered district, you don’t have a voice in this so called election. We also wonder how much this superficial show of “democracy” will cost the citizens of Kansas City.

But wait. Didn’t the August 8th election results bar the city from participating in any planned expansion effort without city-wide voter approval? The margin was razor thin but was approved by voters city wide who wanted a say in how they were taxed on transportation issues. So why, you may ask, is this election for Directors of the Main Street Rail TDD even moving forward despite the results of the August 8th election. It’s because TDD proponents don’t think the voice of the people matters. They just flat don’t think that election was valid. They know better than you do so you should just sit down and take your medicine and let THEM run the show.

Note to the elitist, self-appointed transit know it all types who think elections don’t matter. Elections DO matter and the voters in this Cowtown spoke up loud and clear on August 8th that they want city-wide voter approval of any expanded streetcar work. The Dog hopes the little spoken of provision in the approved Question 1 of a $1,000 a day fine will be imposed by city attorneys sending a clear message to the midtown TDD hot-shots that elections do matter. The dog isn’t holding her breath though.