"Such changes, the report states, would cut rail ridership by about 60 percent. "  The lying never stops!  Cut ridership by 60%??  It is amazing that HART can lie to the FTA in writing.  
The TAT proposal will not survive the legal challenge from the hotel industry.  Did anyone think that less tourists equate to less tax collected thereby hurting many programs just to support rail?  Stopping rail at Middle Street is the most prudent thing to do.  No surcharge extension. No using property taxes for the construction of rail.  STOP RAIL NOW!