PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Public Transit Riders Go Under the Big Top
by Fare Box Freddie Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003 at 10:46 AM
sdonahue412@hotmail.com

Report Back on recent trip by Port Authority of Allegheny County riders to the State Capitol (a.k.a. The Big Top cause its a circus in there.)

Summary:

a) 11 Port Authority riders went by to the State Capitol on Monday, December 8 to press for the full
restoration of the funding for public mass transit operations that the state cut last March.

b) They also addressed the issue of long term reliable and dedicated funding for public transit.

c) They visited 18 Senate offices and the office of one (1) State Representative -- Richard Geist of Altoona- who chairs the House Transportation committee. Every brochure in Rep. Geist's office was about highway construction. Public transit riders found nothing about public transit. (They wonder how much money this guy gets from New Enterprise Stone and Lime Co.)

d) They copncentrated on the Senate since the House has already passed legislation that restores the money to public transit but the Senate has been playing games.

e) While these bus and trolley riders were making the rounds, Stu from Save Our Transit joined Fred from Pgh Transportation Equity Project, Richard from Allegheny County Transit Council and David from Sustainable PGH for more formal meetings
with staff from Senate leadership.

f) So what? Who knows.

g) The Democrats all said that they love bus riders and to go bother the Republicans. The Republicans all said, "OHHH" , "That's important" , "You are
Right", "we will see" , "DID YOU VISIT YOUR HOME REP?" , "We can't make any promise" and "thank you for dropping buy"

h) On the front desk of each State Senator's office was a little dish of candy. One bus rider got sick from
eating too much of it. Oh yes, suffering for the cause!
The Allegheny County bus and trolley riders gave the hospitality award to the office of Senator Jim Ferlo and Robert Mellow. They had candy, chips, crackers and more! Also this was one office where the bus and trolley riders reported getting no, "funny looks." After all they had no envelopes stuffed with cash and they were wearing no three piece suits.

Last Point: SERIOUSLY, they worked hard and got tired. Visiting 19 offices in 3.5 hours is good and then add to that, 8 hours on the road. Did it make a
difference? They are too jaded to say.

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