Daily Archives: November 4, 2006

Elections, Peoria Journal Star

Copley’s Obama poll question ambiguous

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Senator Barack ObamaThe Journal Star’s headline says, “Voters signal Obama support,” but that’s debatable. Dana Heupel of Copley News Service writes:

In the statewide survey, taken Monday and Tuesday, 59 percent of those polled said they would cast their ballots for the Illinois senator if he were the Democratic candidate for president. Twenty-eight percent said they would not, and 13 percent were unsure.

Yet, right above the article in the paper edition of the PJS, it reprints the actual poll question:

QUESTION: If Obama was the Democratic Party candidate for president in 2008, would you consider voting for him or not?

To “consider” means, “think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision” (New Oxford American Dictionary, emphasis mine). In other words, to say you would “consider voting for” someone is not the same as saying you would actually cast your ballot for that person.

If you were to ask me if I would consider voting for Obama, I would say “yes,” because it depends on who else is running, what his platform is at the time, who his running mate would be, etc. I wouldn’t just dismiss him out of hand. But if you were to ask me whether or not I would likely cast my ballot for him, I would say “no.”

That’s why these polls are so tricky. It’s all in how you ask the question and interpret the results. The headline could just as easily have read “Poll: 28% wouldn’t even consider voting for Obama for President.”

City of Peoria, Traffic

The Future Northmoor Road

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Northmoor Road of the Future

They say a picture paints a thousand words, so here’s what a five-lane road looks like with school children crossing in the middle with the help of a crossing guard. What do you think? Is that what you want Northmoor Road to look like? Would you want your children crossing the street in this picture?

Some would say that it’s no big deal — just put up more traffic lights or speed humps to control the speed of traffic. But as the “Safe Routes to School” website explains (emphasis mine):

When slowing or ‘calming’ traffic, the right design invites the right driver response. The guiding principle of traffic calming is to influence motorist speeds and behavior through good design whenever possible, rather than by traffic control measures such as traffic signals and STOP signs.

Hat tip: Beth Akeson

Kellar Branch

Carver costs rise: no article. Trail costs rise: sound the alarm!

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Saturday’s Journal Star features another article on the Kellar Branch titled, “Costs rise as trail remains in limbo.” No mention of how much Carver Lumber’s costs have risen as the rail remains in limbo. Carver Lumber employs 50 people, so one would think their profitability would be of some concern. Nope, instead the story leads off with Bonnie Noble:

Delays in building a hiking and biking trail on the Kellar Branch railroad line through Peoria and Peoria Heights will cost taxpayers more than anticipated, as construction costs increase, Peoria Park District executive director Bonnie Noble said Friday.

On the contrary, I would argue that these delays have saved the taxpayers at least $4 million — the money that hasn’t been spent to tear up a $565,000 rail asset. If costs are going up, that’s all the more reason to start cooperating on a shared rail/trail use for that corridor and taking advantage of Pioneer Railcorp’s generous offer to buy or lease the line and help with trail construction alongside the tracks.

[Mike] Rucker [of Recreational Trail Advocates] said the trail advocates have tried to appeal to reason to work out the difficulties causing the delays. “We want to be nice. Let’s not go out and pick a fight,” he said. “I’m telling them to keep their powder dry,” for now.

Trails add to property values and people like them, he said.

“It’s frustrating to see an asset of this sort being wasted,” Rucker said. But he added, “I think it’s time for the city of Peoria to start playing hardball,” to resolve the delays.

I like how the Recreational Trail Advocates (RTA) see a $565,000 rail line that serves a 50-employee company (and could be used to bring more business and industry jobs into Peoria) as “wasted” since it’s not being torn up and converted to a dedicated trail. I also like how they supposedly “appeal to reason” yet disregard out of hand any attempt to construct a shared rail/trail use of the corridor, which would be the most obvious solution.

But the most laughable line of all is, “I think it’s time for the city of Peoria to start playing hardball.” I’m not sure what more the city can do at this point short of sending a letter to Carver asking them to leave town. The city has already created a hostile business environment for Carver and broken its promises to them. I guess that’s just not “hardball” enough for the RTA, who apparently care more about their own physical fitness than the good-paying jobs of their neighbors.

Advocates for the trail have scheduled a meeting with local officials for an update at 7 p.m. Monday in a meeting room at Independence Village, 1201 W. Northmoor Road. The meeting is open to the public, said Mike Rucker of Recreational Trail Advocates.

Hmmm, I wonder if some rail advocates should show up to this meeting… and maybe some Carver employees, so the RTA can see who they’re trying to put out of a job.