It is patriotic in my household to question where every tax dollar might be spent. It now takes until the middle of April to pay off our Local, State and Federal taxes. As it is we pay more in taxes each year then we spend on food, clothing and housing. To give a private entity unfettered access to taxpayer funds and the wherewithal to tax us is unpatriotic in the extreme. You cannot tell me what metro costs yet you are willing to sign a blank check over to the MWAA to due with as they see fit. No regulation of the MWAA is ongoing except for their own. Mccain had the GAO report done in 2002 which shows the same mismanagement is going on with the MWAA a decade later. This is a patriotic issue as it involves spending of tax dollars by a non-elected authority. Their oversight when they get caught is to blame middle management, yet if upper management was doing their job 40% of no-bid contracts would not be awarded because it violates their own rules. Checks and balances, patriotic but does not appear to be part of the modus operandi with the MWAA. Opt out until Mr. Higgins 21 points have been addressed so at least we know what the silver line will cost and how Loudoun County will pay for it. Makes you wonder where the 350 million dollars collected by the MWAA in tolls since 2008 has gone. See you at Starbucks!

Well said, Melvin.

I wonder what you guys would do if you lived in this country back in the days of WW2 when the highest tax bracket in our country was 90 percent. You prolly would have thrown yourselves off of buildings when you got your tax bill. I have news for you though, if they didn't make that sacrafice for our country, we would all be bowing to the Germans or Japan. Americans have lost their sence of community, and lost there sense of having any responsibility for the community. We want a nice community, we just don't want to pay for it.

Yes to Metro

I think that people are far too self-serving and complacent to see that by working together, we can all prosper. Digging ourselves out of the financial turmoil others have created is going to take sacrifice, and sometimes, you have to play the game to win. Bring Metro to Loudoun. Let the businesses take over paying taxes. Bring us jobs. Bring us a future that doesn't rely on the Government.

Well said, Melvin !!

Melvin,

Your fundamental error is that you assume that Metro is "good."

This rose-colored glasses, see-no-evil, don't-worry-be-happy, childish attitude reveals a lack of critical thinking. This deficiency leads to many potential problems--for an individual as well as for a group, in this case Loudoun County taxpayers.

Whenever you make any decision, you must objectively consider the positives and negatives of your choices.

In the case of Metro, the known negatives are substantial, troubling, disgusting, and a show-stopper to a critical thinker. A corrupt DC-based, union-controlled unaccountable bureaucracy demands massive funding from taxpayers. They use their funding to mis-manage a rapidly collapsing, dangerous, poorly maintained, poorly equipped, poorly staffed union-dominated, money pit. The MWAA uses taxpayer funds for boondoggle trips to resorts, personal vehicles, and more waste and abuse. The train service itself sucks (http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/); the trains are dirty, crowded, nasty, hot, inconvenient, frequently late or canceled, stations are frequently closed, trains crash and run over workers and other trains, crime is frequent and uncontrolled, it's expensive, and more and worse.

Why do you want Loudoun to be forever attached to this debacle?

your attempts at emotional blackmail (oppostion to Metro equated to a suicide-pact, etc) are pathetic and unworthy of direct response.

Grow up. Consider cost/benefit. Only then is your

Obama will not invest in it, LaHood says it stinks, the CUC says it's a boondoggie and if that offends you go to California the home of the sensitive peoples. Some of the quotes say the west end has 5000 people per square mile which causes traffic congestion but for the Feds to kick in the density needs to be 9000 people per square mile so they must believe that it's a bondoggie also!

BCan,

One of the great things about the internet is that we have multiple sources of information on just about anything. You don't have to stay in a hotel to find out that it has bedbugs. You don't have to eat in a restaurant to find out that they don't wash their silverware.

And you don't have to ride Metro to find out that it sucks.

Here's the best source, a comprehensive piece of investigative journalism:

"Metro derailed by culture of complacence, incompetence, lack of diversity"
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/26/metro-derailed-by-culture-of-complacence-incompete/

Other sources:
http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/2012/05/we-will-use-our-pride-as-shield-against.html?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=gadget&utm_campaign=bp_random

http://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-on-foot/2011/08/a-station-manager-s-message-for-the-white-people-who-hate-metro--12260.html

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-opinions/2011/01/why_my_metro_assault_is_a_prob.html

http://northernvirginiasucks.com/2010/02/20/dc-metro-wmata-needs-to-clean-house/

http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DEbo1evnF4TQ%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded%26has_verified%3D1

Lots more there on Al Gore's amazing internet.

Wearing rose-colored glasses does not actually make bad things go away. The bad things are there, they just look pretty. Why would any rational county connect ourselves to such a corrupt, despicable and unaccountable bureaucracy?

Kent,
Are you for real? You never ride the Metro but you have the nerve to detest it. Perhaps you should try riding it one of these days, I think you would be pleasantly surprised. I will vouch for the Metro because I ride it and know that it is a good system. We are old enough to make our own decisions and do not have to go off of others opinions (in the form of online news articles). You should not be spreading lies about the Metro when you have not tried it yourself. I invite you to go down to DC for the 4th and try it out. I think you will find that it is actually much better than what you make it out to be.

BCan,

Yes! I'm for real!

Who said I did not ride the Metro? I've ridden it hundreds of times. Experience. One reason I moved to Loudoun.

Lies? Who is lying? About what? Where?

Read the Washington Times' exhaustive expose of the corrupt and despicable WMAA and Metro.

Your example of using Metro on July 4th is quite funny. The incident that cemented my disgust with Metro was a July 4th trip. After a beautiful evening watching the fireworks on the Mall, my family joined the huge crowds trying to leave on the Metro. Pandemonium. Entrances were closed with no explanation. Crowds directed to walk blocks to another entrance. That entrance closed. Finally walk to L'Enfant and get on. The beginning of a two hour trip to Rosslyn station. Train stopped under the Potomac River for nearly a half hour. Car totally packed. Drunken partiers spewing profanity. Sweat dripping. Will the car ever move again? Who knows. Relief as it starts again. Get off at Rosslyn. Never again.

Rush hour trips are mini-versions of July 4th.

Why would you subject yourself to unnecessary pain and hassle and pay through the nose for it, and demand that all your neighbors pay for your silliness? If you want to ride Metro, have at it! I'd surely should not be forced to pay for your choice.

Metro sucks. Take off your rose-colored glasses. You don't need to get poked in the eye with a sharp stick to know that it hurts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOqVPWIxfSo

Melvin... we revolted against the King of Great Britain because, among his many injuries to us, TAXATION, and taxation without representation was one. We have no say on the MWAA board, Loudoun tax payers will not be adequately represented. We will be taxed either on our property (unconstitutional, but for another debate) and/ or our businesses will be stifled with increasing taxes.

We as Americans have done great things in the past, and reaped the rewards of such. This projects rewards are far outweighed by its costs. It would be un-American to desire to enter any such venture.

Vote NO to Metro!

I generally do not like to agree with anything Kent Clizbe says but in this case he has legitimate arguments. This ain't a football game this is tying our tax base to a known corrupt entity (MWAA).Just what we have so far overpriced trips, wine and many no bid contracts. More to come see the IG report this September. It's not like you can be a little corrupt is that like being a little pregnant? The benefits are few the cost is staggering and the few just like in the Revolutionary War must take it upon themselves to do what is right for the county in this case. Thanks to Mr. Clizbe and the others for their insight!

I'm learning to hate you. What does Ramadan have to do with Clizbe's opinion? You who preach tolerance then blast people with you name calling see the tax pig!

Don't listen to Le Pigs Melvin. You are so right on with your article. It has always been this way in Loudoun. 20 years ago we had the same traffic problems and nothing has changed much since except we have a gazillion more people living out here. The nay sayers are obviously people who do not work or work from home. They have their Mc Masion and mandatory BMW and don't care about the middle class (who will be paying for the metro anyway). Those of us who have to tackle Rt 7 or (shutter) Waxpool and 28 know. This county is the richest county in the US. Where is all the money going to I wonder. Why aren't others concerned about this? Loudoun has not give it's teachers a cost of living increase in 5 years. They added a few bucks on this year and then raised the cost of medical 8% and our retirement contributions. At this point I think teachers are in the red. You are so right no one seems to care anymore. Thank you for speaking up.
PS
OMG CC Mojo you can't be serious. What a racist thing to post! Shame on you.

Nooooo, hold the presses! OMG! I meant that Clizbe seems to have an issues with Muslims, not me! Argh!

Guys, look -- Clizbe is a nutcase, and it doesn't help anyone to acknowledge his lurking presence in this debate. He is a vociferous and ignorant climate science denier, and has paranoid delusions that the federal government has plans to (from his blog) "import illegal alien child sex slaves for Obama-brothels.” Just ignore him.

Citizen, CC, Prolapse, Kristen,

It's really comforting to be able to discuss an issue of importance like Metro to Loudoun with reasonable people.

A good way to identify unreasonable people, or those who are on the losing end of an argument, is to note who resorts to personal attacks, instead of sticking to the subject under discussion.

I'd be happy to discuss David Ramadan and my attempts to answer troubling questions about him. But this is neither the time nor the place to do so.

You can find full details about my background here: www.kentclizbe.com Let's just say that your wild accusations of hate are pretty far off base.

But what does my background have to do with this debate? Can none of you actually deal with the issues I've raised?

This Letter to the Editor, on which we are commenting, provided a virtually fact-free screed, in effect questioning the patriotism of those who do not support mortgaging our county's future to the MWAA. Again, he's pretty far off base.

Rational objective adults gather details and make decisions using the facts and clear analysis. That's what we need to do here.

It would really be great if you could refrain from personal attacks.

Good luck with your efforts. Opt-out is the only rational decision.

You know us people who have McMansions and BMW's got them by working and making good decisions which we continue to do by wanting disclosue before we buy into rail.

Opt in or Loudoun will be left behind and out in the cold. Metro will bring better busses to Loudoun, a cheap and clean way to get down town, jobs and better traffic on our roads. It's time to vote yet to the Metro!!!!!!

Or they got all that money by being selfish and only thinking of themselves stepping on whoever they had to to get to the top. Its all perspective.

The metro will bring a lot of good for a lot of people in the area, I look forward to this project getting underway!!

Thank you Melvin. This is really a great article. I feel that we've gotten far away from the values of our nations founders.

Chris, I see you are thanking yourself! Why don't you also drag in your third alter ego, the Baconator! You make me laugh with all your multiple nics all over the blogs and newspapers.
How will Loudoun be 'left behind' without metro? We're the richest county in the country with one of the lowest unemployment rates. And we did it all without metro! Just what are missing? Faster housing growth, with the higher taxes that go with that? Oops, we already have that too.

The proposal is for the commercial tax base to pay for rail. DUH