I’ve enjoyed the last week or so on campus, not because of the beautiful weather, certainly not because of the crippling workload that comes with the end of the semester, and not even really because the summer is rapidly approaching. I’ve been thrilled with the excitement on campus surrounding some real controversy.

In Washington University’s Danforth University Center, Chancellor Mark Wrighton, Chesterfield Mayor John Nations, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit Tom Shrout, and CEO of St. Louis Metro Bob Baer speak to a crowd of students and supporters after Proposition A, which supports St. Louis public transit, passed April 6.

Proposition A has received enough votes to pass even with the 16 percent of uncounted ballots. With 84 percent of the ballots in, 62.2 percent of voters supported the proposition that increases the sales tax in St. Louis County by half a cent in order to find Metro. The passing of Prop A also triggers […]

To the Washington University Community: I write to you on the eve of a very important day for Washington University and the St. Louis region, and I write to ask for your support. On Tuesday, April 6, registered voters in St. Louis County will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition A, a half-cent sales tax increase to support the operation and expansion of the Metro system.

There have been a lot of concerns and misinformation going around about Prop A and the campaign to save Metro. The truth is that there are a lot of very good reasons to vote yes on Tuesday. For instance, the Metro trains are much more sustainable than cars or even buses.

You hear it over and over. Prop A will hurt the poor. And like many other ridiculous statements, when it’s said often enough, it begins to sound true. The term “regressive tax” has been bandied about a lot lately. Yes, a sales tax is “regressive.” But wait, read on! That’s not the whole story, as the erroneously named Citizens for Better Transit (CBT) would have you believe. There are two more things you need to know.

For members of the Washington University community, the only responsible choice on the Metro tax increase is to vote “no.” The tax will be on the April 6 ballot in St. Louis County as Proposition A. It would be the third sales tax increase for Metro and would be a 100 percent increase in revenue from county taxpayers—from about $80 million to about $160 million a year. It would also be the third sales tax increase in St.

I want you to support public transit. Not because it’s good for the environment. Not because it helps with economic development and jobs growth. Not because it provides accessibility to people who may not have other options for mobility. Those are all really good reasons to support public transit, but I want you to support it because it is fun.

Chancellor Mark Wrighton on Monday called on community members to turn out for the April St. Louis County election to vote in favor of a sales tax for funding Metro, as Washington University continued efforts to mobilize the community around the measure.

St. Louis has another chance in April to pump some much-needed money into its struggling Metro system. Although Proposition M originally failed in November 2008, it will be back on the ballot as Proposition A—a slightly revised version of its predecessor. Proposition M was proposed legislation that would fund Metro transportation through a half-cent sales tax increase in St. Louis County.