Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Budget Deadline
According to the Tennessean, Metro Council may approve the 2008-09 operating budget on June 17, about a week early.
[Budget and Finance Committee chair Erik] Cole said the council might still try to find more money for the Metro Transit Authority, which is planning to cut seven bus routes and raise fares by 25 cents to help make up a $2.9 million budget gap. But doing so could add to the pain for other agencies that are already scheduled to see their funding reduced.
"If there's a single priority that kind of cuts across the board, it's MTA," Cole said. "But there's not a lot of room."
That's good to hear. Still one wonders how hard it really could be to find $1.5 million (assuming the fare hike stays in place) out of a $1.576 billion budget.
The City's budget is $1.5 billion. MTA needs $1.9 million to avoid cutting seven bus routes. Where can we find the will and the funds to fully fund mass transit in Nashville
No one likes the idea of cutting anything from libraries or parks or art or building maintenance, or anywhere else, but cutting bus routes affects people's lives and livelihoods. For some people, riding the bus is not a just a convenience or a perk. Bus service is a necessity.
At the public hearing on June 3rd, three quarters of the people who made public comment were there to encourage and support funding MTA so that no bus routes would be cut. The majority of letters in the newspaper have been in support of funding for MTA. Friends and colleagues have expressed their concerns and support to me many times over the last few weeks.
Gas prices are going up. Bus ridership is increasing and will continue to do so. MTA is projecting more than 10 million riders next year. The last time they had that many was 1979.
The citizens of Nashville need, humbly request, and strongly encourage all members of Metro Council to find the funds to keep the buses rolling for all of us.
Thanks you for your time and consideration.
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