Light rail defeated, but supporters aren't giving up

TAMPA - A proposed light rail initiative in Hillsborough County failed at the ballot Tuesday. Those on both sides of the issue say its defeat could have boiled down to a bad economy.

If Amendment 1 would have passed, it would have added a penny to the 7% sales tax.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio pushed for the initiative beginning in 2006. Iorio was disappointed the light rail amendment was defeated, but not surprised.

"We were asking something during the worst economic time, and I could feel it. The time is such that people don't want to make the investment."

Unemployment in the Tampa Bay area is among the highest in Florida, hovering at nearly 12 percent.

But Rosemary Goudreau, political Consultant on light rail, feels there are two other big reasons the measure failed 58 to 42 percent. "The campaign failed to connect. "What does this mean to me?'"

And, Goudreau said, she feels voters have a lack of faith in government. "To give government $180 million a year and not be able to say where exactly the trains are going and which neighborhoods would benefit. It was a lot of trust."

But, while the amendment was defeated, don't be surprised if you see it on a ballot again, and soon. The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority isn't giving up.

They issued a statement Wednesday, saying, "The referendum did not pass, but the interest created by this campaign helped educate the voters of Hillsborough County about our many transportation challenges. Voters learned about roads, bus service and light rail. We see that as a real victory."

The Mayor agreed there is hope as well, although, she admitted, it will have to be another administration that will have to make the push.

"In every other, almost every community where they have gotten light rail through a sales tax somewhere, it has failed the first time," said Iorio.

The Tampa Chamber of Commerce also released a statement saying they are disappointed but already working to get it on a future ballot. The earliest it could be on the ballot is 2012.