A task force of the Metro Mayors Caucus met earlier this week and the major topic of conversation was Fastracks, and how to complete the entire project as advertised in 2004.

Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer presented a proposal that would ask voters for a second tax increase for the project, but would have that money only go toward the half of the original project that likely will not see the light of day or the light of rail, if more funding isn’t provided.

While Tauer’s idea is sound on paper, asking for more money, regardless of how good the plan looks, will be very difficult. Between the economy and the disastrous underestimation of true costs in the original proposal, voters are going to be hard to convince that this time, the cost estimates are right and the project will get done on time. After all, they were told that last time.

But the most critical part of the potential success of any new tax request won’t have anything to do with the economy or even cost estimates. It will have to do with metro area unity, and right now, that’s a resource in short supply.

The fact that all of the governments of the metro area cities worked in tandem and in agreement on the first Fastracks project had a great deal to do with the success of the first tax request in 2004. That subtle but vital ingredient needs to be found soon for RTD to have any hope of receiving any more money for this project.

I believe that metro area cohesion is important because everyone needs to feel that there is something in it for them. Most folks in Longmont couldn’t care less about Aurora getting any light rail service. However, if Longmont gets trains when Aurora gets trains, then, well, they may get on board with Aurora. It’s that mentality that put all of the cities on the same page in 2004.

But that harmony of 2004 is now a thing of the past. Some cities are seeing progress, while others are seeing little to no hope of ever catching light rail in their own zip code. 

And while the economy is getting the blame for the cost overruns and declines in revenue, it’s the economic stimulus plan that should get a great deal of the blame for dividing the once harmonious cities.

Federal Stimulus funding has kick-started a few of the proposed lines into Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge and to DIA. Those cities volunteered to seek that federal funding and fulfill all of the crazy qualifications that always come with any money from the federal government.

However, those cities with lines that didn’t seek federal funds are now out in the cold and without any additional taxes, they may not be finished until we are all using jetpacks to get around.

I applaud Mayor Ed Tauer for being creative in trying to find a solution to the Fastracks problem. But, more importantly, he and his fellow mayors will need to stretch their imaginations to include a way to get all of the cities on the same ideological page again. Without that harmony, they may be better off investing in jetpacks.