Judging from the June 17 front page article ("Ehrlich's stance opposing light rail could backfire"), it appears the media intends to make light rail a point of contention in the governor's race. Well, I say, bring it on! We taxpayers are smart enough to know that the existing Baltimore light rail system does not even cover half of its operating cost. And, "operating costs" do not include any of the original construction costs. If the government was paying debt service on the original capital costs of the light rail, the sum would be over $100 million annually. But, of course, the government considers the original capital cost (paid for with our gasoline tax revenue) as simply, "money down the rathole," not a "real" cost of operation!

Our current political incumbents in Maryland want to spend an additional $3 billion on the Red Line and Purple Line light rail systems. It would be more cost-efficient to give free cab fare to residents of those areas and to use our gasoline tax revenues to repave our pot-holed city streets!

Robert G. Vaughan, Lutherville