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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>FYI, is Ken Seiling’s response to the anti-LRT group survey. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Susan Koswan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Ward 7 Kitchener candidate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Ken Seiling [mailto:watgang@golden.net] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> September-29-10 10:25 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Susan Koswan<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: Transit Survey Response<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Please
do. Ken</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 4.0pt;
margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>-----
Original Message ----- <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:#E4E4E4'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:dandelion@gto.net"
title="dandelion@gto.net">Susan Koswan</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a
href="mailto:watgang@golden.net" title="watgang@golden.net">'Ken Seiling'</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Sent:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> Wednesday, September
29, 2010 5:29 PM<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Subject:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> RE: Transit Survey
Response<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Hi Ken,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Do I have your permission to forward this to members of the
Grand River Environmental Network and TriTag?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Susan Koswan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>P.S. I too found their survey to be unprofessional and leading.
Thank you for your very well said and conscientious response. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>S</span></b><b><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>ubject:</span></b><span
lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Transit
Survey Response<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I
have attached my response to your questionnaire and have taken the liberty of
copying other candidates.</span><span lang=EN-US><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 4.0pt;
margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>To: Taxpayers for Sensible Transit<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>From: Ken Seiling<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Re: Your Survey<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>During elections, I receive many surveys. For the most part,
I find them to be fair and generally seeking opinions on certain issues. I am
aware of your opposition to the rapid transit project but I am somewhat taken
aback that you would frame survey questions with misleading or incorrect
information and then ask for a response based on them. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=1 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l4 level1 lfo1'>You suggest that the
Region lacks a significant downtown business district or commuter
employment hub. In fact, the federally- sponsored feasibility study and
the subsequent environmental assessment both identified that, with the
linear pattern of the three cities and employment and population
concentrations, we already have sufficient ridership in the northern
cities to justify a system that will only grow as intensification takes
place. In fact we are better positioned than others such as Calgary when
they began their project. The system will run passengers both ways rather
than one way only. You may wish to reread the studies, the environmental
assessment, and the reviews by the panel of experts who peer
reviewed the work. <o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=2 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l3 level1 lfo2'>Your costing of $819
million has been inflated by adding costs that would not be necessary
until the system grew in later years. The project recommended by Regional
Council is $790 million. No rapid transit system of which I am aware has
been built in one fell swoop. All are staged . Although not
envisioned in the feasibility study or contemplated in the terms of
reference for the first phase environmental assessment, Council went one
step further to recommend added funds to provide an Adapted Bus Rapid
System in Cambridge in order to advance the ridership and development
necessary to justify the build out of the LRT in the second phase. <o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'>It is strange that you do not
speak of the impacts or costs that must be faced by not proceeding. It is
estimated that up to 500 lane kilometres of road will have to be built to deal
with the growth expected in the next 20 years. I understand that by building
the LRT and creating a better modal shift it is estimated to reduce that by
more than 40%. We would be able to reduce the road building requirement
by approximately 213 lane kilometers. Depending on the complexity of the
work, a lane kilometer of urban road can cost between $700,000 to $1,200,000.
At the low end, that would save more than $149 million – at the high end up to
$256 million, much of which would be raised on property taxes. Not only would
the financial impacts be severe and the traffic issues horrendous, there
would the impact of destroying neighbourhoods to try to widen roads where
possible.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'>One need only look at the GTA
where they have spent the last 25 years trying to build roads rather than rapid
transit. The traffic problems there would soon be present here and people who
may not use transit would find their use of their cars much more
difficult. We are already seeing the beginnings of peak time build ups on many
roads.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'>Another reason to look at the GTA
is to see the astronomical costs being faced by the area in trying to retrofit
it after the fact. In reality, they are now precluded from doing it right and
are faced with the sprawl which grew up without good transit in place.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'>The building of the Expressway in
Kitchener would never happen if opponents and naysayers had been successful in
blocking it. Kitchener and Waterloo took a bold, brave, and future looking
stand when they agreed to fund it. London did not and rues the choice to this
day. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=3 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'>You are suggesting that
there will be a 9% increase in property taxes. Since you do not know the
final plan or the financing proposals, I am interested how you can give a
number. Regional Council has neither discussed or approved a final
design or costing, nor has it considered financing options. Your predictions
are somewhat premature. It is important to note that you have not costed
the impacts of the road building requirements mentioned above on property
taxes. <o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=4 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4'>You suggest that there
will be road disruptions and that the Oktoberfest parade will be affected.
The LRT will be a street-level rail technology, generally on either
existing roads or rail corridors. Left turns, U turns and driveway access
will all be accommodated in the design. Modern electrical wires used
to power new LRT systems are quite unobtrusive and fit into the
streetscape. Two way traffic will remain on roads which have LRT. The
suggestion that the Oktoberfest Parade will have to move is a complete red
herring and inaccurate. Parades will still be able to travel along King
Street. <o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0cm' start=5 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l2 level1 lfo5'>You ask people to be for
or against an LRT system for the Region. Perhaps it would be more to the
point if you asked people if they were for or against urban sprawl,
gridlocked traffic, damaged neighbourhoods, huge property tax increases
for road building, and a whole host of problems that this Region will
experience if it fails to move the community forward rather than freeze it
in a model that has proved to be such a disaster for the GTA and which is
being abandoned in cities across North America. <o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'>Waterloo Region has been
successful because it has always kept its eye on the future. The Rapid Transit
project is something that is critical to the future of this Region just as was
the building of the Expressway or the creation of the University of Waterloo by
people who looked ahead. For those of us in my generation and older, we need to
remind ourselves that we have children and grandchildren who deserve to have a
healthy, successful, and thriving community. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</blockquote>
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