Elk Grove Bus Riders Win Reprieve, Popular Routes Reinstated
Elk Grove bus riders won a last minute reprieve tonight from planned service cuts set to start tomorrow morning during a special meeting of...
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2009/08/elk-grove-bus-riders-win-reprieve.html
Elk Grove bus riders won a last minute reprieve tonight from planned service cuts set to start tomorrow morning during a special meeting of the Elk Grove City Council. The decision came after a nearly four meeting by a 3-2 vote.
Voting in favor were council members Steve Detrick, Gary Davis and Mayor Pat Hume. Council members Jim Cooper and Sophia Scherman were against the reinstated service.
Two highly utilized routes, 52 and 53, were scheduled for drastic service cuts starting tomorrow as part of the city's reduced 2010 budget. Two of the scheduled runs will be reinstated on 52 and the one proposed cut for 53 will remain intact.
During last week's regular meeting held on Wednesday, August 26, many of the riders on the affected routes urged city council members to reconsider the reductions. The riders, many of whom work for the state, said the reduction would force them on to other routes that would result in an array of hardships.
Check later today for a complete recap and analysis
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3 comments
Man that was one long meeting...I was surprised that public comment was allowed to go as long as it did, but most assuredly our presence likely saved two of our 52 routes.
52 for me is a luxury. I'm exactly what Hume would call a choice rider, and he's absolutely right. It's a luxury because I've got legs to bike to work, two next door neighbors who work with me at SMUD to carpool with, or just simply drive myself. I drive one day a month because I have this choice, this luxury.
But it's a bad, bad idea in my opinion that choice riders be axed. The question is, and it's really simple, is what kind of city do we want? Do we want to subsidize new auto mall dealers or bus riders? Do we want to subsidize local businesses or out of state chains?
What kind of city do we want?
In my narrow view I can't see why anyone would want to discourage (or in this case prevent) choice riders from e-Tran. There isn't one negative that comes from herding more of us on the 52, subsidized or otherwise.
I thought they cut this because they didn't have the money. so where does the money come from now?
Exactly! Where will it come?
The reserve fund? Then all we've done is push the problem out further and into the realm of unsustainable funding.
Something else must give to absorb this. If the council elected to reinstate service then something else has to be cut. They simply need to do the dirty work and get it done.
I am in favor of ensuring a higher level of transit service as it is a responsible mode of transportation in light of all the environmental and energy security discussions this nation has engaged. It also prevents hundreds of local residents from remaining in perpetual automotive debt servicing. Socially it is a responsible action, and we ought to find ways to promote it.
A consequence is that something else must get cut, and I believe building one hundred million dollar highway overcrossings and $500 subsidies for buying new cars is wholly irresponsible in light of these issues. It's a minority viewpoint, but I believe the environment and energy policy will become more relevant in the near future, just as personal debt slavery with car payments is a much larger issue today compared with years past.
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