COAST Declares Premature Victory While Leader Faces Foreclosure. The Streetcar Battle is Far From Over.

Today it was announced that the city of Cincinnati would not be receiving any federal TIGER stimulus funds for its proposed Modern Streetcar project. Meanwhile, the cities of Tuscon, Arizona and Dallas, Texas received federal stimulus dollars for their projects. Out of 1457 projects that applied for funding, only 51 had their requests met in some fashion. Does this mean the death of the proposed Cincinnati Streetcar? Not by a long shot. The project has applied for other grants and the word will be out on those in the future. Is this a setback? Yes. However, unlike COAST would like to believe, this not the death of the project and this is certainly not a victory for the Anderson Township based fringe group.

Check out this tweet where COASTer Mark Miller (yeah, that guy who made fun of a dead American combat veteran) declares victory:

I don't think the brilliant minds at COAST are aware that this was not the only funding grant the streetcar project had applied for, nor is this set back an imminent threat to the project as shown here. Maybe the boys at COAST should brush up on a little bit of their history of assumed premature victories:

Meanwhile, in other COAST news: While COAST chairman Jason Gloyd was busy fighting red light cameras in Cleveland and declaring premature victory in the Cincinnati Business Courier, he wasn't busy paying his mortgage. As City Beat has reported: the COAST leader faces a foreclosure on his home.

Image provided by the boys at COAST.

One has to wonder why a man who can't take care of his own finances feels so inclined to lecture others on how to properly spend their money. Maybe Jason should get the court case set against him by Hamilton County in order first before he declares victory for COAST. We wish the best for Jason and his family through this tough time.

Just as there are no TIGER funds for streetcar, there will be no TIGER funds for Gloyd's mortgage.

Jason Gloyd is a Liar or an Idiot, Whichever Title You Prefer.

The above title is a bold statement, but after reading COAST's blog today I'm inclined to believe that it's true. In a flurry of posts, Jason Gloyd, chairman of COAST, repeatedly showed his ignorance and apathy towards learning the facts on local issues and his true colors as a special interest patsy. You might remember, Gloyd. He was the one who on 700 WLW's Bill Cunningham show tried to tell "Willie" that the streetcars were powered by coal. Even I felt embarrassed for Gloyd when the next caller corrected nearly every one of Jason's fabrications.

From the COAST blog:

“How, exactly, is the public to make its voice heard on passenger rail spending,” said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd"

Jason, you, just like every other citizen had numerous chances to attend public hearings and meetings regarding the issue. Many of the great citizens of this city did and gave their input, both recently when city council held open houses and in the past few years when the project was in the planning stages.

“Some damned fool nameless, faceless bureaucrat decided to build a $60 million subway station on Cincinnati’s Riverfront in 2002,” said COAST Chairman Jason Gloyd."

Jason has been told many times, but he still chooses to ignore the real price of the Riverfront Transit Center: $18 Million, according to the Cincinnati Post, $23 Million, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. NOT $60 MILLION! Gloyd also ignores the fact that the operation of the center is contracted out to System Parking and the city of Cincinnati gets a share of the parking revenue from the center and it's adjoining parking lots. The Transit Center has been making money during large events ever since it opened.

Damned, nameless fools Jason? Are you serious? As someone who is the chairman of a special interest political group, you'd think you would've taken the time to get acquainted with the names of your local politicians who approved the building of the Transit Center along with the reconstruction of Ft. Washington Way.

Jason has also allowed his special interest group to distribute these misleading yard signs:

But, as CAAST pointed out the other day, Issue 9 wouldn't just stop the streetcar, it would reject ALL PASSENGER RAIL projects. Keeping Cincinnati further and further behind other major cities. Further promoting the "20 years behind the times" stereotype. Wonder why Jason and his boys at COAST didn't put "STOP PASSENGER RAIL" on their sign and tell the truth? Why does the truth come so hard for Jason and COAST?

Maybe this sign would work better:

Warning: This sign has been modified for truthfulness!

SAY NO TO SPECIAL INTEREST CONTROLLING OUR CITY, SAY NO TO ISSUE 9!