http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-862117.mp3
Kansas City, MO – Die-hard activist Clay Chastain is returning to Kansas City with still another light rail plan. And this time he wants to change the city charter so the council can't repeal a voter-approved initiative as they did with his 2006 plan.
Clay Chastain says he and his band of supporters will start their next petition drive October 14th - attempting to get two ballot measures before the voters. One contains a new $2 billion dollar transit proposal. The other would strip the city council of its power to repeal a voter-approved initiative.
Chastain says: We plan to put the charter change plan on the August primary ballot - so that if they approve the regional transit plan in November the city council cannot repeal that plan.
The transit plan involves light rail, commuter rail, streetcars, electric buses. It also would convert Union Station from primarily being used as a museum to use as a transit hub for all the systems, which Chastain says would invigorate it as a site for retail businesses.