Friends of Smart: Sonoma/Marin Area Rail Transit

REMINDER: Please join us for the SMART Groundbreaking Celebration on Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:3011:30AM at the Downtown Petaluma SMART Station, Petaluma Depot at 210 Lakeville Street. Hope to see you there!

Come Join Us for the SMART Groundbreaking Celebration on Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:3011:30AM at the Downtown Petaluma SMART Station Petaluma Depot at 210 Lakeville Street. Click here to view flyer: gallery.mailchimp.com//SMART_Groundbreaking_Invitation_2_.

FRIENDS OF SMART MEETING: Wed. February 15, 201211:30 am 1:00 pm in San Rafael. Call 707-578-9133 for details

2/2/12 Press Democrat Stop fighting SMART EDITOR: I share the concern felt by those who oppose SMART that it is too costly and has not been well managed. Nonetheless, contrary to what John Parnell of RepealSMART says, people have already voted in November 2008 and had the chance to sign the repeal petition (it certainly has been well publicized). It’s time to stop wasting money on challenging this thing and get behind it. RICHARD A. DURR Santa Rosa

Please show how strong support is for SMART by clicking on this link and submitting your "YES" vote for this project. The Repeal SMART people WON'T give up! We'll have to continue to fight hard for our SMART train and pathway project!

Marin IJ Editorial 1/24/12

SMART AD IN MARIN IJ, Sunday 1/22/12

Marin IJ 1/12/12 John Parnell of Repeal SMART is complaining that it is taking too long to build the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit plan. His solution is to slow it down further by the recall effort and possible years of litigation. How does he justify this effort? It will cost us taxpayers an additional $17 million in additional interest charges due to the additional risks or the bond investors, and an additional $103 million of abandoned contract costs, not to mention all t...he costs of planning and costs to date. Perhaps SMART can give us an accounting of these costs that could be lost. It seems that the intent of the SMART opponents is to derail the train permanently. Ironic that it takes a 66.67 percent vote to pass the SMART train approval, but only 5 percent to 10 percent to delay and possibly kill it. I call that rule by the minority. Where do they get all of their money to mount this campaign? Perhaps Mr. Parnell would give would give us disclosure by listing the supporters and amounts contributed. But please think twice before you sign the recall petition. It could cost us all. Richard Chinlund, San Rafael See more