The Metropolitan Transportation Commission wants your input! Well, not really, but they've created a "contest" for people to submit their "big ideas" on transportation, to give the public the impression that they do.
Here's the website:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZim4rm5PFoV972CKVBS9va7sy7T6FbySXWX6tIUR-LSbBhQ/viewform
And below (along with the text of their "Contest Rules and Disclaimer Language" as well as the questions in their form) is the entry I just submitted...
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))
Horizon: Request for Transformative Projects
* Required
Contest Rules and Disclaimer Language
Before we begin, please review the language below and click "accept" to continue.
Official Rules for the Horizon: Request for Transformative Projects (“Contest”)
Submittal into this Contest constitutes your acceptance of the Official Rules.
CONTEST SUBMITTAL DATES: Contest start date & time and end date & time as outlined on application form (“Contest Submittal Period”).
ELIGIBILITY: Horizon: Request for Transformative Projects ("Contest") is open only to residents with a valid email address. When entering the Contest, an opportunity to sign up to receive follow-up information from MTC/ABAG may be available. Entrants subject to all notices posted online. Employees and their immediate families (spouse, parent, child, sibling and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) or those living in the same household (whether or not related) of MTC/ABAG (“Sponsor”), and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, prize suppliers, distributors and advertising and promotion agencies (collectively, “Contest Parties”) are not eligible to win. Contestants may need to provide proof of residency upon request. Employees of public agencies submitting BIG IDEAS for inclusion in Plan Bay Area 2050’s investment strategy are also not eligible to win. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. Individuals who provide submittals in response to the Contest are "Contestants."
CONTEST OBJECTIVE: The object of the Contest is to submit applications for transportation projects to be considered for further analysis as part of the Horizon initiative and for possible inclusion in Plan Bay Area 2050’s investment strategy. A judging panel selected by MTC/ABAG will review all eligible entries received based on the criteria set forth below. All applications must be submitted via the online form.
CONTEST SUBMITTAL: To enter, complete the application form found via a link from https://mtc.ca.gov/our-work/plans-projects/major-regional-projects/horizon. Instructions for submission are included in the application.
All submittals must be received by 5:00 PM Pacific Standard Time (“PST”) on September 6. For purposes of these Official Rules, “receipt” of submittal occurs when Sponsor’s servers record the submittal information resulting from contestants’ submittal being received in the application form. Any automated computer receipt (such as one confirming delivery of submission) does not constitute proof of actual receipt by Sponsor for purposes of these Official Rules.
Submittal must be the original work of the contestant, may not have been previously published, may not have won previous awards, must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity and must not violate any law.
Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any submittal for any reason, in its sole and absolute discretion. Incomplete entries are void.
By entering the Contest, entrants agree to assign all right, title, and interest, including copyright rights, in the submittal to Sponsor and grant permission for Sponsor and its respective designees to publish or publicize all or part of their submittal, including but not limited to entrant's name, likeness and project proposal, in whole or in part, for advertising, promotional and trade or other purposes in conjunction with this and similar promotions in any and all media now known or hereafter developed, worldwide in perpetuity, without notice or permission and without further compensation, except where prohibited by law. Entrant acknowledges that Sponsor and its respective designees shall have the right, but not the obligation, to use all or any part of the submittal.
JUDGING: All submittals will be judged based on judges’ determination of feasibility, potential benefits to the Bay Area, alignment with Horizon's Guiding Principles, creativity, and consistency with minimum cost threshold. Finalists will also be judged based on their benefit-cost ratios and other scores developed through the Horizon project evaluation process. The top scoring submittal will be declared the Contest winner, subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules. A group of submittals will also be declared finalists and also awarded a prize. The top scoring submittal and finalists are individually described herein as a "winner" and collectively as "winners."
In the event of a tie, winner will be determined based on the judges’ discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to not award the prize if, in its sole discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified submittals. The decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding on all matters relating to this Contest. Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received.
WINNER NOTIFICATION: Winner(s) will be determined after the Contest’s end date and will be notified by email. At the discretion of the Sponsor, winner may be disqualified for any of the following reasons: if charged with or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, is not eligible based on the eligibility requirements set forth above, or if delinquent on a government ordered payment, such as, but not limited to: child support, spousal support, alimony, tax payments, etc. In the event it is determined that a winner has not complied with these Official Rules, has failed to execute and return any required documents within the specified time period, has made false statements or a prize notification is returned as undeliverable, then the winner will be disqualified and at the Sponsor’s sole discretion, the submittal with the next highest score may then be declared the alternate winner.
PRIZE AND APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE (“ARV”): Number of winners, prizes and ARV are outlined in the website posting. Winner is solely responsible for all expenses, costs or fees associated with transportation and acceptance and/or use of the prize not specified herein as being awarded, including without limitation, any and all taxes (if any). Winner is not a recipient of a prize until s/he has been verified as the winner by the Sponsor or judges. Upon fulfilling prize, Sponsor will be deemed to have awarded the prize to the winner and such winner assumes full responsibility for the prize. All prize details are at the Sponsor’s sole discretion.
Entrants acknowledge that transportation, if applicable, is not included in the prize and that any events are beyond the control of the Sponsor and are subject to being rescheduled, modified or cancelled. In that event, the Sponsor reserves the right to, at its discretion, reschedule the Contest, submittal and/or end dates, modify the submittal process, cancel the Contest, or cancel the awarding of prizes.
All prizes shall be awarded in accordance with these Official Rules. The prize is non-transferable and non-assignable, with no cash redemptions or substitutions except at Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value, at its sole and absolute discretion.
WAIVER OF LIABILITY/PUBLICITY RELEASE: By participating in the Contest and submitting an submittal, each entrant agrees to (i) be bound by these Official Rules, including all submittal requirements, and (ii) waive any and all claims against the Sponsor and each of its respective parents, affiliated companies, subsidiaries, licensees, distributors, dealers, retailers, printers, representatives and advertising and promotion agencies, and any and all other companies associated with the Contest, and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, "Released Parties") for any injury, damage or loss that may occur, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from the participation in the Contest or from the receipt or use of the prize or any travel or activity related to the receipt or use of prize. By accepting the prize, winner grants to Sponsor and each of its respective designees the right to publicize such winner's name, address (city and state of residence), photograph, voice and/or other likeness and prize information in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world, in perpetuity, without additional compensation or consideration, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law.
ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS: Contestant hereby acknowledges that submittal and all other materials of every kind whatsoever created by contestant relating to the Contest (collectively, the “Work”) are a “work made for hire” (as that term is used in the United States Copyright Act) for Sponsor, and assigns to Sponsor (or, if any applicable law prohibits or restricts such assignment, contestant hereby grants to Sponsor an irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free, transferable license of) all right, title and interest in and to such Work, including, without limitation, all rights of every kind and nature (whether now known or hereafter devised, including all copyrights therein and thereto and all renewals and extensions thereof), throughout the universe, in perpetuity, for all purposes, in any and all media, whether now known or hereafter devised. By submitting an submittal, Contestant acknowledges and agrees that Sponsor may obtain many submissions under this Contest and that such entries may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format or other respects to others submitted under this Contest and/or other contests staged and/or sponsored by the Sponsor, and waive any and all claims contestant may have had, may have, and/or may have in the future, that any composition, design, video and/or other works accepted, reviewed and/or used by the Sponsor (or its respective designees) may be similar to his/her submittal. Contestant acknowledges and agrees that the Sponsor does not have now, nor shall any of them have in the future, any duty or liability, direct or indirect, vicarious, contributory, or otherwise, with respect to the infringement or protection of any copyright in and to contestant’s submittal.
GENERAL CONDITIONS: Released Parties are not responsible for stolen, late, incomplete, illegible, misdirected, lost, damaged, garbled, delayed, undelivered, inaccurate, postage-due or garbled entries, e-mail, or Contest submissions. Entries generated by a script, macro or other mechanical or automated means or by any means which subvert the submittal process will be disqualified. Released Parties are not responsible for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties, or other errors or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, network, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the Contest, the processing of entries, the announcement of the prize or in any Contest-related materials, or the cancellation or postponement of all or any stage of the Contest. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Released Parties are not responsible for injury or damage to entrants' or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating in this Contest or downloading materials from or use of the website.
This Contest may not be used for any form of gambling. In the event that the Contest is challenged by any legal or regulatory authority, Sponsor reserves the right to discontinue or modify the Contest, or to disqualify Participants residing in the affected geographic areas. In such event, Released Parties shall have no liability to any Participants who are disqualified due to such an action.
Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Contest or website or attempt to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, deception or other unfair playing practices, or intend to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrant or Sponsor's representatives or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void. Any attempt to deliberately damage the content or operation of this Contest is unlawful and subject to legal action by the Sponsor or any of the Released Parties. Sponsor shall have the sole right to disqualify any entrant for violation of these Official Rules or any applicable laws relating to the Contest, and to resolve all disputes in their sole discretion. Released Parties (i) make no warranty, guaranty or representation of any kind concerning any prize, and (ii) disclaim any implied warranty. All disputes will be resolved under applicable U.S. laws in the County of San Francisco, state of California without giving effect to choice of law or conflicted law principles (whether of the state of California, or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the state of California. Sponsor's failure to enforce any terms of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
MISCELLANEOUS CONDITIONS: Failure to comply with these Official Rules may result in disqualification from the Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to permanently disqualify any person it believes has intentionally violated these Official Rules. Contest subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law.
ARBITRATION & CHOICE OF LAW: Except where prohibited by law, as a condition of participating in this Contest, Contestant agrees that (1) any and all disputes and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action lawsuit, and exclusively by final and binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association and held at the AAA regional office nearest the contestant; (2) the Federal Arbitration Act shall govern the interpretation, enforcement and all proceedings at such arbitration; and (3) judgment upon such arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. Under no circumstances will contestant be permitted to obtain awards for, and contestant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys’ fees, other than contestant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs associated with entering this Contest), and contestant (or, if an eligible minor, his/her parent or legal guardian) further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of contestants and Sponsor in connection with this Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the substantive laws of the State of California, USA without regard to California choice of law rules.
WINNERS LIST: Winner(s) will be announced in a website posting.
SPONSOR: Metropolitan Transportation Commission, 375 Beale Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
I have read the contest rules and accept the terms and conditions. * I accept
Horizon: Request for Transformative Projects
* Required
Tell us about your proposed transformative transportation project.
What type of project are you proposing? *
Roadway
Transit
Both
Other: An organic, bottom-up transformative transportation project
What is the project purpose – i.e., what challenge are you trying to solve? *
1 paragraph
The harms caused by the fallacy of centralized planning which has bedeviled land use policy in recent years, as well as the accompanying growth of government spending, taxation, and debt.
Describe the project in detail - where is it located? Who would it serve? What specific improvements would it make? *
1 to 2 paragraphs
This would be a collaborative project empowering Bay Area residents and visitors of all diverse demographics, backgrounds and interests to participate on their own voluntary terms, whether via conscious, direct involvement in entrepreneurial or other commercial efforts, or less directly by means of ordinary human action as their daily habits, spending and lifestyle decisions, etc., shape the environment around them as they go about their lives free from government social engineering and control.
The proposal is to allow people in the Bay Area, whether acting as individuals or together in cooperative groups such as civic organizations, non-profits, religious groups, startups, established businesses, neighborhood associations, informal collectives, etc., make their own transportation and related choices using their own time, money, bodies, and justly acquired property, so long as those choices respect the Non-Aggression Principle – i.e., do not involve the initiation of force or fraud against others. This would involve the cessation of what respected Stanford University Hoover Institution fellow Dr. Thomas Sowell, when describing typical modern economic planning, termed “the forcible superseding of other people’s plans by government officials”.
What is the greatest opportunity associated with this proposed project? *
1 paragraph
The greatest opportunity associated with this proposed project is the opportunity to reclaim lost freedoms and make the Bay Area a beacon of liberty, as well as a more prosperous and harmonious community and overall a more desirable place to live.
What is the greatest risk associated with this proposed project? Example include: environmental impacts, unproven technologies, potential community opposition, etc. *
1 paragraph
The greatest risk associated with this proposed project is that it may be ahead of its time, and therefore unpopular with certain stakeholders and interest groups heavily invested in the status quo, such as government planners, established businesses, non-profits, and contractors with close ties to government.
Would you like to share any additional materials?
Please provide a link to any supplementary materials (maps, diagrams, etc.).
These can be posted on a file-sharing site like Box, Dropbox, or OneDrive; alternatively, you can include an URL to the project website.
https://www.cato.org/blog/land-use-local-government-when-facts-ground-are-libertarian
