Delusional Mercury News and "Stephen Colbert"

In its recent editorial about BART, when the Mercury News states that: "The design is expected to cost $649 million over the next 10 years," it is important to note that this amount of tax money going to engineers and consultants will be more than enough to deliver actual commuter rail or light rail service.

The BART extension was never within reach because the 2000 Measure A was sold false promises.

Another Mercury line: "Once the line is running, nobody will question the wisdom of having built it." is even more hilarious. Look at San Mateo County, the BART extension to SFO, which was supposed to generate an operating surplus for San Mateo County, is now costing over $10 million per year in unplanned operating subsidy. Is Mercury News sure that no one will question when BART costs more than what VTA and SVLG claimed and bus service had to be cut as the result?

The best, however, is from "Stephen Colbert" in the second reponse: "Now, normally when a multibillion 10-year project is proposed, that will dig up streets for years to come, most people would do a cost analysis -- not ME! I FEEL the worthiness of this pet project. And this is a good project (for Bechtel)..."