Pinellas County commissioners voted 5-1 today to place a referendum on the November 2014 ballot asking residents to approve a one-cent sales tax to pay for light rail and an expanded bus system.
It's now in the hands of voters to approve what would become the region's first light-rail line. It would connect Clearwater with the Gateway area of northern St. Petersburg and downtown St. Petersburg.
It would approve 24 miles of light rail from Clearwater to downtown St. Petersburg, expand PSTA, the county's bus system, construct traffic lanes especially dedicated for buses and more hiking and biking trails. pedestrian trails.
Advocates say the county can't keep building roads to keep up with the demand. Opponents claim it would be an expensive boondoggle - costing an estimated $1.5 to $1.7 billion to build.
