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After passing the 2009 city budget in two days, several City Council members are still reflecting on the effects certain decisions will have on Madison residents.
One of the most controversial changes in the 2009 budget was the 50-cent increase in Madison Metro’s bus cash fares beginning in January 2009.
Ald. Brian Solomon, District 10, proposed an amendment that would eliminate the increase, but the council voted against it 12-8.
“I’m strongly opposed to the bus increase so much that I voted against the entire budget,” said Ald. Satya Rhodes-Conway, District 12.
Rhodes-Conway opposed the increase because she said it was not the right choice for Metro and hurts the primary users of the bus who cannot afford alternate transportation.
Rachel Strauch-Nelson, spokesperson for the mayor, said this year’s fuel prices have soared, and without at least a 25-cent increase buses would have to limit service for riders.
“We haven’t had a cash fare increase since 2000, and in that same amount of time fuel costs have gone up 230 percent,” Strauch-Nelson said.
Strauch-Nelson said when the mayor received Metro’s budget proposal, they included a 25-cent increase just to keep the buses running.
The mayor proposed a 50-cent increase so Metro can now provide services such as more security at transfer points, Strauch-Nelson said.
Rhodes-Conway said she offered a range of proposals in which Metro would still be able to run without limiting service.
“The mayor included $150,000 for service improvements for Metro in the budget; two of my proposals did the same,” Rhodes-Conway said.
Several alders said this was one of the most difficult decisions they have made on City Council to date.
“Hearing all the speakers last night and speaking with Ald. Solomon, I’m trying my darndest to be a supporter of this,” Ald. Judy Compton, District 16, said at the meeting Wednesday night. “I can’t.”
Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, added at the meeting he was sympathetic to alders whose districts do not include areas with high levels of Metro service. However, he said they should consider the greater good for the community and oppose the increase.
Cieslewicz said this was the last thing he put into the 2009 budget, and there were many aspects of the fare increase that “caused him to lose sleep.”
Madison Metro Manager Charles Kamp said Metro’s ridership is expected to increase even with the increase in cash fares, though ridership increase will be only 1 percent rather than 6 percent.
Kamp said half of Metro’s ridership comes from people with unlimited ride passes, such as the Associated Students of Madison pass given to students and paid for by segregated fees.
The increase in cash fares will not affect the ASM pass until the end of 2009 when the contract expires.
Although the council did vote to increase the bus fare, Rhodes-Conway said the proposal would go to the Transit and Parking Commission for a hearing to ultimately decide if there is an increase and which fees will go up.
—Becky Vevea contributed to this report.
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So what’s the new fare?
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To opponents of the fare increase: do you really want to tax people out of their homes over this? The line about “unnecessary burden to those who can afford it the least” is complete garbage. Homeowners and renters alike across the city are living on rice&beans in this economy. I know how easy it can be to be oblivious as a student, but consider what happens when cash-strapped families have to deal with an unexpected increase in the mortgage payment to cover “public services” that are of no use to them. Furthermore, half the arguements for the virtues of mass transit are completely bogus. For example: a city bus causes as much traffic congestion as 10 cars, as much pollution as 10 cars, as much gasoline use as 10 cars, and each additional bus stop eliminates another 5 parking spaces.
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Wow, I can’t believe the City Council would do this! Whatever happened to a green-friendly commitment to mass transit, and reducing the number of cars on the road? A 33 percent increase! The highest bus fare in the country!
Shame!
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The cash fares collected from people only make up a small portion of the total operating budget for the busses.
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“For example: a city bus causes as much traffic congestion as 10 cars, as much pollution as 10 cars, as much gasoline use as 10 cars, and each additional bus stop eliminates another 5 parking spaces.”
And if each bus carries only 20 passengers who otherwise would have driven, it prevents traffic congestion of 20 cars, as much gasoline use as 20 cars, and the need for 20 parking spaces.
And a hell of a lot more than 20 people ride each bus during rush hour.
So using your logic, those “bogus” arguments (only one E in “arguments”) for public transportation actually make a heck of a lot of sense, don’t they?