Letters

In a letter to the editor of the Orange County Register, letter-writer Jack Mallinckrodt of North Tustin argues today that Orange County voters were mislead last November when they approved an extension of the one-half percent sales tax for transportation. He suspects that government officials always intended to use the tax revenues generated by the extension to build Centerline, a proposed light rail project that was cancelled due to voter apathy and political opposition. The letter-writer offers no proof, only suspicion.

Whether he's right or wrong, Orange County needs public transportation that people will use if the entire county is not to be paved over with concrete. People use public transportation all over the world. Why would they not in Orange County if it were fast, convenient and not expensive? Whether light rail is the best form of public transportation for Orange County is a question. Arguments against light rail are that it's expensive and people will not use it. Buses may be cheaper but people are not likely to leave their cars to ride buses.