San Antonio

April 2014

Tea Party Opposes Streetcar

"Everybody is mad about the streetcar, so anywhere you go in town, as long as you're a registered voter, people want to sign this petition," Jeff Judson with the San Antonio Tea Party says according to WOAI Television.

Opponents of the project are circulating a petition to force a referendum on the streetcar. Transit agency VIA has stated that it would be illegal to have such a vote. However, the Tea Party's approach is to amend the City Charter to require a public vote before granting a right of way to a streetcar or light rail line.

VIA reports that despite this petition effort, the project remains on time and on budget, with funds on hand to keep moving forward.

Judge Approves Transit Center

A judge in San Antonio has ruled in favor of VIA Metropolitan Transit which plans to build a transit center that will serve buses and someday streetcars. A streetcar opponent would have to post a hefty bond to appeal an earlier ruling in favor of the transit agency's spending, KSAT television reports. It would lcost nearly $4 million for a further appeal of the approval for using bonds to build the center. A group called the League of United Latin American Citizens had appealed the ruling enabling use of the bonds by claiming that VIA was violating a commitment to voters about the use of the funds.