Friday, December 5th, 2008...10:55 am
Question of the Day
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I’ve already put this to one city staffer and I’m awaiting an answer. City Manager Mike Hein has stated that one possible way for the city to save money is by cutting back on bus service. The increase in service was due to the new revenue brought in by the Regional Transportation Authority. So, if this is from a seperate “pot” of money, why cut service?
This seems to be a political loser. One thing that the RTA was able to do right away was improve bus service. Longer term projects like light rail and road widening won’t be seen for years. So, now we are going back on the one quick and tangible improvement that the RTA has made. Really smart, guys.
7 Comments
December 5th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
If the source of the new pot is sales tax dollars, collections are dropping like a rock; so while it may be dedicated, it’s still shrinking.
December 6th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Bus service is critical for people who can’t afford a car and need to get to work. Yes, I do know several people like this. This is not a way to improve tax collections if you cut back on the ability to earn money to pay taxes.
December 6th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Cutting Sun Tran is not a wise move by Hein, as many people depend on it. I also ride it off and on, and it is a “green” alternative to driving a car/truck.
December 6th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Balancing the budget on the backs of people who can least afford it? I thought we’ve already been down this route when they cut 10% across the board from Outside Agencies. More of those cuts are on the way, too. Mayor and Council meet this Tuesday evening in their chambers to discuss the new cuts. I have one message for them, particularly when it comes to further cuts to our social safety net: FIND ANOTHER WAY.
December 6th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Ridership is up. Sun Tran should still be expanding. It’s in the interest of public safety as it moves people around town who have no business operating a motor vehicle, like Glenda Rumsy and Faith Quick.
December 7th, 2008 at 7:29 am
A few months ago, Hein got hell from some of his councilmembers because city bureaucrats recommended raising Sun Tran fares because they’d taken a million or so from their promised subsidy to mass transit. Fortunately, a majority realized that raising fares would negate the gains in ridership and, perhaps, even send the trend downward. Latest figures show it’s still going up.
December 7th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
For the city to consider cutting transit, that would be a terrible mistake at a time like this. The city should consider other sources of revenue, such as raising fees on various city issued permits…one suggestion that comes to mind right now.