No! There were a lot of changes made to the "train to nowhere". I doubt Mr. Townes authorized the changes. I think whomever it was that authorized the elective changes to the system, and told Mr. Townes to implement them needs to be exposed and fired. We can do that to some of them in May! I really abhor the reporting on this overrun. Mr. Townes addressed the city council and stated the reasons. NO ONE has addressed the question of the reasons being factual? or in anyway avoidable by him. Now we are supposed to blame him? I'd just love to see what he did wrong or if it was under Mr. Wright and clans direction.

Light Rail in Portland, Oregon has the same cost overrun stuff happen. As with most government contract you bid low any cost overruns will be taken care of by the government.

Have a Safe Day
NSU-ZR1 #906

...NO "golden partachute!" Any money that he might be owed on his contract should be awarded to the project itself.

People here are all too quick to jump to conclusions based on little or no fact. Right now, very little is known about the details of this situation.

If the HRT board has no confidence in Mr. Townes, or if he's acted in a downright incompetent way, then they should replace him. If they feel differently, then it's up to them to let us know why.

By the way, especially for those of you who don't buy newspapers, this is the kind of story that will go unexplored when there are no, or not enough, newspaper reporters to cover it. Our local television stations are unlikely to give it more than a few hysterical moments.

I don't work for the newspaper, but I appreciate its role. Unless you want to live in a region where these kinds of cost overruns happen without you ever knowing about, buy a newspaper.

The Light Rail was one big waste of taxpayers' monies. What a HUGE waste, nobody will use it, maybe tumbleweeds and thugs from Norfolk that want to travel to VA Beach oceanfront to commit crimes??

Norfolk, VA Beach, you're getting what you deserve!

Give him a bail out!

Michael (the fox) Townes keeps raiding the light rail (coop) and wants the vulnerable (chicks) taxpayers to forgive him so he can do it again. I don't think so!

Interesting how the issue became more important than fiduciary responsibility...Ignorance is not an excuse. People supported this project and looked the other way when good people raised questions about the routing, funding and HRT management.

Fact is that the problems with HRT management are not new. How many times has HRT come to the cities in the region asking for more money to account for losses or missing funds? How about the Bus Garage?

The route does not reduce traffic on Hampton Blvd, Improve transit to the Naval Base (Why would we develop a mass transit alternative to the largest employer in the region?)

But where has the Virginian Pilot, and the rest of the local media been? They are supporters of the project and seem to not be about reporting the news.

Our elected officials and the public who are advocates for mass transit alternatives have collectrively let us down by not keeping the players honest.

Light rail is such a scam. Ha, ha, Norfolk taxpayers. I hope this hurts enough for you to vote them all out of office, even if it means voting for the crazy old folks that are usually the only ones to run against them. Wouldn't it be funny if, instead of us thinking they are all crazy, that they actually are all crazy? Vote for the crazy! They may be nuts, but they are less likely to be criminally insane!

Light rail. Stupid voters.

When government "gets nothing done" is when we are in the best shape. Make all government one term only.