But even though as of January 1, 2003 we are now being charged an extra half-penny for every dollar we spend on goods (excluding non-prepared food and medical items), the voter-mandated Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust does not yet exist.  In fact, the nominating committee designed to put forth candidates for the CITT’s membership does not even exist. 

As the first SunPost editorial of 2003 we would like our readers to take a moment to pray.

Those of us who went to public school here in the 1970s and ‘80s may prefer to think of it as “a moment of silence” wherein each individual would call upon whatever spiritual force they believed in and simply contemplate it. 

The way things are in the world today there are a lot of subjects worth praying about.  The same is true in the local arena as well. Yet this particular editorial would like to ask everyone pray that the Miami-Dade County government won’t use the now in effect half-penny tax (and the hundred of millions of dollars that will be collected by it) or other dollars earmarked for transportation as a slush fund for entrenched interests—much the way the airport contracts seemed to have been used. 

But what about the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust, the famed countywide transportation tax oversight board empowered to “monitor, oversee, review, audit, and investigate implementation of the transportation and transit projects listed in any levy of the surtax, and all other projects funded in whole or in part with surtax proceeds”?  Won’t they be able to not only alert the public, but also stop any misuse of taxpayer dollars? 

In theory. But even though as of January 1, 2003 we are now being charged an extra half-penny for every dollar we spend on goods (excluding non-prepared food and medical items), the voter-mandated CITT does not yet exist.  In fact, the nominating committee designed to put forth candidates for the CITT’s membership does not even exist.  Supposedly, the nominating committee will be formed by January 23.  From there, the committee has 30 or 60 days to offer four “nominees” from each of the county’s 13 districts, for the Miami-Dade League of Cities, and for Miami-Dade mayor.  Thus, we are looking at late February, March or April—at the earliest—before the CITT even exists.

Again, at the earliest.  A part of the complicated process to approve CITT members is the right of county commissioners, the League of Cities and the mayor to reject the selections offered by the nominating committee (within their respected areas, of course) and request a set of four brand new ones.  So the process, could, in theory, drag on longer.

The CITT sounds like a good idea on paper.  Its members are not nominated “directly” by the politicians but through a citizen nominating committee.  And once formed it has the power to at least slow down any rotten initiatives or contracts.  (The county commission has the power to override the CITT’s decision with a two-thirds vote.) 

But will those proposing transportation “improvements” sit and wait that long? Not likely.   Already a resolution that would create the “Coconut Grove Transit Circulator Service” found its way into the county’s consent agenda package.  It was yanked off and deferred to a date uncertain.

Meanwhile, for the Metropolitan Planning Organization, business continues as usual.  At its last meeting, the MPO approved funding for the Miami River bridge, deferred a resolution to fund “private non-profit organizations” that provide elderly and disabled people with transportation and okayed an item to rescind previous actions on “the North Corridor Bus Rapid Transit” (the promised connection from Miami to Aventura) and instead go forward with the much pricier ($100 million a mile by some estimates) Metro-Rail extension as “the locally preferred technology alternative.”  The MPO even asked that the billion-dollar East-West Corridor Metro Rail extension be moved forward. In its next meeting, on February 6, the MPO will discuss the Baylink, a proposed $40 million-a- mile light rail system connecting Miami Beach to Miami.

What is this MPO and why isn’t it waiting for the CITT?  It’s a federally mandated board made up of elected officials from the county and various cities that governs the use (and future use) of federally doled out transportation dollars, as well as some state and city funds, according to its executive director Jose Mesa. The CITT, on the other hand, is strictly focused “on local projects” that are funded through the half-penny tax, Mesa explains.  MPO has been in business for years.  The only difference is that now, with a dedicated local transportation funding source, federal grant commitments are likely to reach the billions. And while the CITT can slow down transportation decisions made by the county commission, the same isn’t so with the MPO.  So long as a project isn’t funded through funds gathered by the half-penny tax, the MPO’s decisions (when it makes one) are final.

In the end, we are left relying on faith.  Faith that there will be a CITT in less than four months.  Faith that the CITT board will be an autonomous board committed to not just results but fiscal responsibility.  Faith that the county commission or the MPO won’t stick us with expensive White Elephant projects and commitments.  Faith that we will be a metropolitan area known for its viable transportation initiatives and not for useless, costly projects benefiting only connected individuals.  Faith that the five-year Transportation Improvement Plan project won’t become another MIA.

Let us pray.