Friday, May 9, 2008

EDITORIAL: Free street car fares. Hurray!

Jack Howell, president of the Lancaster Alliance and board secretary of the Streetcar Company, says that fares on the proposed trolley system will be voluntary. Although we believe street cars are a bad idea, voluntary fares is a good one and echoes NewsLanc's suggestion for the trolley buses.

But there will be nothing free for the tax payers about the street cars. The public will have to pony up over $14 million to build and equip the system and then there is the predicted $300,000 a year of operating loss. Also street cars will back up traffic along the route.

Are free fares a bait and switch device to curry public support so that taxpayers' pockets can be picked?