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Here in Houston we just got screwed over by the local transit agency - METRO. In 2003, the voters in the METRO service area voted to approve $640 million in bonds for METRORAIL. Majority of people of color supported, majority of white folks opposed. The measure passed with 51.7% of the vote. According to the Chron, 42.2% of upper-income Anglos supported, 45.5% of middle-income Anglos supported, 74.5% of low-income Blacks supported, 80.2% of middle-income Blacks supported, and 57.3% of Mexican-Americans supported. Now it turns out, people of color communities aren't getting their rail after all. We're getting a bus in a train costume. Still scratching my head on this one - maybe the METRO guys think that we're dumb enough to think that in time, we'll actually come to believe it is a train. Anglo communities are getting real light rail trains - and they voted against. Way to go Houston. Can't brag to the rest of the world and say people of color in this town get a fair shake. Next time folks get screwed over by a local governmental entity, just say you got "METROed." They have earned the coinage of this new term. June 28, 2005, 9:00AM
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