For all of light rail’s promised benefits, some Victoria Park residents still aren’t convinced.

Officials with Fort Lauderdale’s Downtown Development Authority, who are seeking to create a light rail project for the downtown area, appeared again at a meeting of the Victoria Park Civic Association last week.

DDA officials say the electric fixed-rail system — known as The Wave — will improve the city by bringing jobs, boosting property values and reducing carbon emissions. In April, the DDA proposed that properties along The Wave’s route pay assessments to help fund the project, an idea that received mixed reviews.

“The heart of the matter is funding,” said Chris Wren, the DDA’s executive director.

The entire project is likely to cost $124 million. Most of the money will come from federal and state transit funds, but there is a gap of about $20 million that would come from assessments. Properties along The Wave’s route would have about $99 added to their tax bill each year, Wren said.

“The [Downtown Development Authority’s] plan didn’t sit well with our members,” said association president Ted Fling. “We’ve got questions and we want valid answers.”

Making its second pitch to the neighborhood last week, Wren said a light rail system will boost the local economy, particularly from Northeast Sixth Street to Southeast 17th Street. But the reaction was as cool as ever.

“It’s a boondoggle,” said association member Thornie Jarrett. “To spend this kind of money in a recession while we’re talking about laying off cops and firemen is crazy. I’m not denying The Wave is a good thing. We just don’t have the money.”

Board member Bob Oelke said other large cities with similar systems have a much lower average cost per mile.

“This appears to be an amenity for the well-off rather than a necessity for the people,” he said. “It will benefit those in high-end neighborhoods, not people living on the west side [that] clean hotel rooms and wash dishes for minimum wage.”