Editor, The Transcript:
An open letter to Gov. Brad Henry:
The League of Women Voters of Norman sincerely urges you to take the initiative as Governor to issue a moratorium on relocation of the Interstate 40 Crosstown Expressway through the state-owned Oklahoma City Union Station rail yard. We further believe that the Santa Fe Station, whose terminal building is privately owned and whose narrow, elevated yard already handles in excess of 40 fast freight trains each day, is clearly not a candidate to become our regional transit hub.
This issue affects every community in Oklahoma that has rail service to and thorough Oklahoma City, and it is pivotal to the future of passenger and freight transportation statewide. The development of modern multi-modal transportation systems is central in the effort to reduce the harmful emissions of fossil fuels and to increase economic opportunities.
Oklahomans for New Transportation Alternatives Coalition (OnTrac) has consulted transportation experts and engineers about the possibility of realigning a segment of the Crosstown Expressway so that it would fall 200-300 feet south of the Union Station rail yard on right-of-way owned by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT). It appears that realignment is definitely feasible. To date five communities - Norman, Chickasha, El Reno, Shawnee, and Lawton -- have passed resolutions petitioning you to convene a special commission to consider realignment proposals. ODOT is vigorously opposing any effort to consider an alternative plan which would save the Oklahoma City rail yard.
This is not a choice between the Crosstown or Union Station rail yard. The Crosstown can be relocated, but once the rail yard is destroyed, the cost of acquiring land and rebuilding a station with space for multiple rail lines would be astronomical. We believe that this lost opportunity would adversely affect the future of Oklahoma indefinitely.
BARBARA ROBINSON
President, League of Women Voters, Norman
Letters
It's not a choice
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Gov. Fallin’s tax plan is one big mistake
Editor, The Transcript: Well, it’s official now. In her State of the State message, Gov. Fallin confirmed that she hopes to reduce the state income tax now and totally eliminate it later. Big mistake, for two compelling reasons....
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Another Library Vote? Good grief!
Editor, The Transcript A new library on the west side? With hardly any books? With a dumb name above the entry as shown in your rendering? Infoplace? The library bureaucracy must think Norman voters just fell off the turnip truck....
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Eliminating state taxes places burden on poor
Editor, The Transcript: Your editorial on Feb. 8th that expressed your pleasure that the bill by Jim Wilson that would have removed the sales tax exemptions from newspapers was killed in committee was disconcerting. I can agree that the ...
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Not time to experiment with state taxes
Editor, The Transcript Governor Fallin proposed more cuts to the state income tax in her State of the State speech Feb. 6. This comes on the heels of a House Tax Reform Task Force that also proposed phasing out the state income tax over a ...
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Local investment is better for Norman
Editor, The Transcript Americans from all walks of life and political ideologies are asserting their voice to tell Wall Street “Enough is enough!” Occupy Norman members spoke at the Dec. 13 Norman City Council meeting, urging the city to ...
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Decline in unions harmful to economy
Editor, The Transcript Remember sometimes you get what your ask for? Let’s see, what could that be? I know, destroy those evil unions which are compromised of the middle class....
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Independent group needed
Editor, The Transcript: I wanted to write a letter a long time ago, but Ms. Rogers’ letter claiming that “Chromium levels in the water shouldn’t cause alarm” pushed me over the edge. As an environmental professional in Oklahoma, I have ...
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Obamacare is socialist nightmare
Editor, The Transcript: And now for the rest of the story… “Obamacare, Another Entitlement Nightmare.” The recent St. Louis Post Dispatch editorial reprint illustrates the sophistry that characterizes the liberal mindset now grasping the ...
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Pipeline not really that great
Editor, The Transcript: This responds to the letter from Bruce Kessler, which was printed in The Norman Transcript on Monday, Jan. 30. The letter makes plain that Bruce Kessler opposes President Barack Obama’s decision to block the ...
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Not economic suicide for all
Editor, The Transcript: The commentary “Avoiding a catastrophic war with Iran” published in the Norman Transcript on Jan. 21 made a worrisome observation: “Another war would destroy America’s painful recovery from the indebtedness of two ...
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Gov. Fallin’s tax plan is one big mistake
