Sorry. Hit the wrong button. I would add Larry Palm to that list. He works for the Madison schools, and talked about how hard this fare increase would be on kids and parents.
And since we are on the subject of schools and transportation, let's look at how Metro works with the schools to provide transportation to middle and high school kids. Besides the discounted youth fares - both single fare and ten-ride passes are available to kids 5-17 (or in high school if they are older) - there are semester passes that either parents or the school district purchase for the kids. Families that qualify for free and reduced lunches - which is about 43% of middle and high school kids - are provided a semester pass that is paid for my the school district. These "indigent" passes are purchased at a discount by the school district, but as of 2010 (or maybe 2011), the school district would pay the regular cost for these youth semester passes. That means more costs to the school district, and less money for other things in the schools. Right now, the schools spend over $1 million/year on these indigent passes. Families that do not qualify for free and reduced lunches can purchase a semester pass for $125/semester at today's rates. Some of these families may also be finding it difficult to pay that cost, especially if they don't have the money for the semester pass at the beginning of the school term. These families then either pay higher per-ride fares or maybe drive the kids to school. In addition, there are the paratransit fares that also rise as regular fares rise. Paratransit is used by people with disabilities that cannot use fixed-route buses, either all the time, or occasionally, such as winter, when they may not be able to get to the bus or board the bus at the stop because of snow. Paratransit rides are usually a multiple of the cash fare. Social service agencies also buy passes or tickets for their clients so they can get to appointments to look for jobs, housing, health care, child care, and other needs. My point is that there is a cascade effect when "regular" fares are raised. Lots of other people and institutions then have to absorb those costs, and maybe shift money from other services or needs. Robbie On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 2:22 PM, Robbie Webber <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > > On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 2:18 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Hello bikies: >> >> Last evening the Transit and Parking Commission voted, by a 7 to 2 margin, >> to >> reject the Mayor's proposal for bus fare increases. To ensure that this >> action >> holds, the City Council should amend its budget to fix Metro's budget. >> >> I understand that the original Council vote on the bus fare increase was >> 12-8. >> Two members who voted the wrong way, but might be receptive to our >> arguments on >> this issue, are Julia Kerr and Mark Clear. And Mark is on bikies, so >> Mark... >> >> Mark represents the west side district along the University Ave. and Old >> Sauk >> Road corridor from Whitney Way to the Middleton line. Julia represents >> Vilas >> Park, Bay Creek and areas in that general vicinity. >> >> All for now, and all hail the TPC! >> >> Al Matano >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Bikies mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org >> > >
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