Clay Chastain Shares Petition Jorney

One of our favorite activists is collecting signatures again . . . Here's an update and a quick check-in about the response he's getting . . . 

Clay Chastain: Amid ideal conditions...rising gas and car costs,  heightened concern for our planet, the City itself going nowhere...a perfect petition storm hurls towards the November ballot despite disinterest from the MSM and KC's establishment.

Like last month, the media didn't show up again. But, I didn't let that get me down. On Saturday afternoon I celebrated witnessing my oldest daughter get married in a beautiful and simple backyard ceremony in Kansas City. On Sunday afternoon I celebrated (with my youngest daughter by my side) witnessing the vast majority of voters ( I queried) sign the 2022 Petition Initiative in support of a new "Green Alternative Transportation System" for Kansas City.

Here is a representative sampling of some of their responses:

(1) Clay - "Sir, would you be a KCMO registered voter?" Voter -"Yes. Are you?" Clay- "Yes sir, for 41 consecutive years."  * He did not sign the petition.
(2) Clay - "Would you like to see KC have a rapid monorail system connecting our new airport to downtown?"  Voter- "You mean like other cities?" * He signed the petition.
(3) Voter - "I'm not signing for any more streetcars for tourists!" Clay - " Ma'am, the petition is proposing a new modern Citywide transit system." * She signed the petition.
(4) Voter - "Why (yelling at me) don't you go back to Virginia and leave us alone?"  Clay - " Because I want to help." She did not sign the petition.
(5) Voter - "Clay I'll sign your petition. I sign all your petitions. But, what was her problem?" Clay - " She doesn't like the fact I don't live in KC full time."  Voter - " That's irrelevant!" * He signed the petition.
(6) Voter - "I can't afford the gas!" Clay - " I know what you mean. And, experts say it is going to go higher and stay higher." * She signed the petition.
(7) Voter - "Are you at it again Clay?" I'll say one thing: you don't give up." Clay - Thank you, Ma'am. I'm just trying to get her done." * She signed the petition.
(8) Voter - "Who's going to pay for all this?" Clay - "The petition proposes to extend the 3/8-cent sales tax for 25-years, impose a new 1/4-cent sales tax for 25-years and the other 50% is expected to come for the Federal Infrastructure Bill." * She signed the petition.
(9) Voter - "I live near the KC Zoo. How is this going to help me?" Clay - " An Ultra light Rail line connects to the Zoo and you can ride that along a Greenway to other destinations including Union Station where you can make other transit connections including boarding a monorail to the airport. * She signed the petition.  
(10) Voter - "How's that going to work (pointing to the board's picture of the Troost Greenway) taking cars off Troost?" Clay - " Look at Troost now. The park-style Greenway is going to revitalize Troost by reconfiguring it into a thoroughfare for clean safe mobility options to the car including... biking, walking, scootering and taking Ultra Light Rail" * She signed the petition.
(11) Voter - "Why are you doing this and not the City?" Clay - " Because the City has no such vision." * She signed the petition.
(12) Voter - " Clay, even though I like your transportation ideas, I don't support closing Penn Valley Park to traffic." Clay - " Thank you, but Penn Valley Park needs to be a safe open green space park for the people and not just a traffic thoroughfare and parking lot."  * He did not sign the petition.
(13) Clay - "Hey, I've seen you somewhere before." Voter - " Hi Clay. I don't think this will fly. It is too visionary.  But, I like what you're doing and I've signed all the other ones."  * He signed the petition.
(14) Voter - "You don't have to say anything Clay. I'm all about this!" * He signed the petition.
(15) Voter - "It's about time we used Union Station for what it was intended for." Clay - "You know it" * He signed the petition.
(16) Voter - " No thanks Clay, I like my car." Clay - " I like my 4-cylinder, 5-speed Ford Ranger too, Pal.  But, we have too many cars and drive them too much. It is harming our pocketbooks and the environment. The petition seeks to create a more balanced transportation system by providing people with healthy, affordable and convenient options to cars and diesel buses. * He changed his mind and signed the petition.

Kansas City Activist, Clay Chastain

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