I wish to take a moment to thank everyone who took the time to reply to my first post (both on and off list) regarding the Transit Strike. I also wish more of you would have taken the time to suggest viable answers rather than suggest I move to North Dakota. I am not moving, my wife has a rule that she needs to live within a certain distance of a Target. Go figure.
As I stated in my first post, do not expect additional state funding. All of the complaining in Minneapolis isn't going to change that. As long as you refuse to accept that reality, there will be striking workers without an income and people without alternatives to the bus missing work. Nobody wants that. So what are some alternatives? I've checked the Met Council amended budget for 2003. http://www.metrocouncil.org/resources/AnnualReport2003.pdf http://www.metrocouncil.org/directions/development/levy.htm The Met Council had revenue totaling $579 million of which they spent $218 million on buses, $60 million on other transportation, $102 million on debt service, and $71 million on 'pass through', whatever that is. Bus fares accounted for $72 million of its revenue for 2003 (approximately 35% of bus cost portion of total transportation funding. One alternative (if you wish to meet drivers' demands) would be to lobby the Met Council to spend more of its budget money on buses and less on other transportation ($60 million). You get the idea--cut expenditures in one area so as to increase funding in another. Another alternative (if you do not wish to meet drivers' demands) is to start cutting some of the benefits. You have to admit that being eligible for lifetime health insurance after just 10 years of employment is very generous. Low deductibles and zero copay insurance plans are also very expensive. I realize the link below may not be the most bias-free, but it was easy to find. http://www.metrocouncil.org/labor/METCposition.pdf You are a group of smart people. Start looking for answers that are acceptable to all parties. Please tell us. How would YOU solve the Transit Strike given the resources available to you today. The only side I am taking is this strike is in providing a fixed amount of state funding. Finally, someone asked the question that I had hoped someone would, "Then why are you even reading and contributing to this mailing list?" The author didn't seem to appreciate my input and I found this strange. Diversity is a wonderful thing, particularly diversity in thought and beliefs. Quite frankly, I don't know how many contributers on this list come to the conclusions that they do based upon the informaton available. I find it quite interesting and I thought you, in Minneapolis, might like to know that people outside of Minneapolis often times reach a different conclusion that you. Your priorities and concerns are not necessarily the priorities and concerns of those who live other parts of the state (I thought that would have been obvious after the last election). Greater understanding can help all of us reach our common goals. Until next time, Tom Searles Waconia, Twp. Living on a gravel road that is graded once a month, and without hope of ever having a DSL connection. REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
