WTA Wants More of Your Money
19 November 2009 | By patti-kgmi in UncategorizedCurrently, we subsidize WTA (Whatcom Transportation Authority) by 90%. 9 out of every 10 dollars spent through WTA is paid for with sales tax revenue. Are you ready for another increase in sales tax to pay for running the buses? I say raise the rates…
19 November 2009 | Betsy Said:
I’d like to know when I will be on the “receiving” end of all this wonderful “free” money???? I pay the HIGHEST gas prices IN THE STATE for the “privilge” of driving the car I paid for without asking for one spec of anyone elses money…I made ALL the insurance payments on it from my PERSONAL LIVING EXPENSES!! We are small business owners who also pay for all the fuel for all the trucks that carry the products the company provides. Why is that there seems to be only one group of people they go after over and over and over???? Why can’t the people who use the darned bus service PAY FOR IT????? I’ve NEVER asked THEM to pay MY way!! How can WTA ask for MORE of our money when they already receive a 90% “subsidy”……….90% SUBSIDY!!!!!!????? It becomes more and more evident EVERY DAY that from the cities to the county to the state to the federal, government is out to DESTROY every vestige of self reliance and work ethic. You can only take so much from US before we all begin to wonder what the heck is the point of working AT ALL, and then we do something about it!!
2010 can NOT come soon enough…..until then, I guess, we will get in OUR CARS and drive down to Skagit county to save on the extra sales tax that will be forced down our throats…..
Can’t wait for the day we can say HASTA LA VISTA WHATCOM COUNTY and take what’s left of OUR money with us!!!!
19 November 2009 | Elliott Fine Said:
Hello Patti,
Here is an e-mail, that I sent to the WTA comment tab. The response just above my letter is from Rick Nicholson and was received shortly after I sent my comments in.
What is not in my letter, are things I think we need to know, such as:
Cost per rider
Salaries & benefit packages of all non-bus drivers
Wages & benefit packages of all bus drivers
A range of what these costs & figures are in other comparably sized cities, and what their level of revenue vs. tax dollar support is.
I think we can have a bus service, but, if managed correctly, it should cost far less than what we have.
Regards,
Elliott Fine
B’ham
Mr. Fine,
Thank-you for your comments. Whether they are pro or con we welcome them.
I just want to make one clarification. WTA administration had nothing to do with the unions radio and newspaper advertisements. WTA did not ask them, suggest they do it or in any way take part or promote it. They chose to run the ads completely on their own accord.
Thanks again. Your comments will be passed on to our Board of Directors to review.
Rick Nicholson
Service Development Director
Whatcom Transportation Authority
_________________________________________________
11/17/09
Hello WTA,
I just heard an ad, put out by the Bus Driver’s Union, on our local radio station (KGMI),
that only showcased people commenting about how the proposed route cuts in the WTA
2010 budget would affect them in a negative fashion. This was such a transparent add
aimed at evoking an emotional response in support of increasing the WTA’s budget on the
backs of the taxpayers, that I was disgusted! I was further disgusted by the appearance that
the Bus Driver’s Union is in apparent collusion with their employers!
Of course, no one who has a shred of decency will want those who cannot afford to drive,
are handicapped, or unable to drive for any of a variety of reasons, to lose service.
However, what you seem unable to grasp, is that it has been your wild and seemingly
uncontrollable spending policies that are the real culprit here in the shortfall of revenue.
To whit:
How much of our money did you lose on the ridiculously overpriced “Trolley” buses you
had running several years ago? The first time I saw the exposed wood on the outside of
one, the words: “expensive maintenance headache” came immediately to mind. Then I
boarded one and was appalled at how uncomfortable and noisy the bus was….it seemed that
it was shaking itself loose over every small bump in the road. Had no one thought to take a
pro and con ride on at least one of these buses that had been in service for a few years
before you decided on placing your purchase order? Had anyone even contacted another
Transit Authority that had them in service? Would you have done as little research on
buying your own car? Please tell me I have this all wrong.
How much of our money did you recently spend on new buses, and how much more have
you already committed to? As far as making them more efficient….newer, more efficient
engines, exhaust systems, and particulate trapping devices could have been retrofitted to the
existing vehicles….I believe you have a mechanical crew and beautiful service bays just
waiting to perform this type of work. I drive my vehicles for a min. of 10 yrs. before I
change them, but that is with my money, not the public’s, and I don’t have a mechanic on
staff nor the facility to work on them. Please tell me I have this all wrong.
What happened to the advertising on the rear and sides of the buses? Did this not provide a
much needed revenue stream? How much revenue did we lose because you removed them?
Were they removed because of some ridiculous, PC reason? Please tell me I have this all
wrong.
How much of our money did you spend on the “artistic plastic wrapping” you keep
applying and removing from the exteriors of your bus fleet? What PC hype do you
subscribe to? If you put the cost of each “wrap” on the side of the bus, I think you would
have quite a bit of surprised and negative feedback. When I was a kid, I rode the city bus to
and from school and around town. Not one of them had taxpayer dollars spent on anything
but a paint job, but that didn’t seem to keep people from riding them. I assume the city’s
input consisted of choosing the color scheme of that paint job, which was then washed,
waxed, and touched up or painted as needed, until the bus died or was sold off. By the way,
many of the buses I rode in the 1960’s & 70’s were from the early 1950’s, and many of their
newer buses were at least 10 yrs. old! I would be willing to posit, that if you asked most
anybody on the street, or riding on one of your buses if the actual COST of the “plastic
wrap” on the exterior of the bus would make them think that you were good, fiscal
managers, and that this “plastic wrap” would definitely be a positive factor in their decision
to ride the bus, my guess is that 99% of them will say: “No”. Please tell me I have this all
wrong.
How much of our money did you spend on building your administrative building? I have
been in that building, and while I don’t advocate building ugly buildings, you grossly
overspent our money on your offices. How much of your salary did any of you give up, or
pledge, to be able to afford such a building for our Transit Authority building? What
percentage of the money spent on that building came from WTA revenue??? Just who do
you people think you are? You run a simple, city bus service….. you don’t save people’s
lives or bring in any revenue to help our Whatcom County budget (as your budget’s show),
do you? The case might be made that the transport of those who cannot drive to work and
school is an addition to our overall economy, and again, the transport of those who cannot
drive at all is needed, but at what expense? Please tell me I have this all wrong.
I will tell you that your “Color Line” service is a step in the right direction, but fails to
complete the process. I have found that it doesn’t run early enough in the morning, or late
enough at night for many who work in the private sector, you know, the ones who supply
the money that funds your salaries and the money you spend so extravagantly. Often, as
they don’t just have a 9-5 job, they must start work early and/or work late (sometimes even
without OT!), in order to make their business pay or because their job demands it. Perhaps
they would like to go out after work to dine and relax before coming home, but in the
evening, it doesn’t run often enough to make taking the bus feasible. Or, say they want to
go out on the weekend to a play, a late night of dining, drinking, and dancing….forget it.
The bus takes forever and doesn’t even run late! In this enlightened era of trying to avoid
drinking and driving, you’d think it would be an advertising “no brainer” to increase your
ridership with this one. Your routes should work in conjunction with our city’s Take Five
and those that provide our city’s entertainment, a planned schedule which focuses bus
service to the shows, bands, movie times, etc. Please tell me I have this all wrong.
Why, due to the connection times at the downtown station, does my son have to arrive a
half-hour before his 8 AM class starts at WCC from the downtown connection? I can
understand a total time from point to point taking a half-hour (which you have), but having
to waste another half-hour for a total time of 1 hour, when it only takes 12-15 mins. for him
to drive from home to the college, where’s the incentive? Please tell me I have this all
wrong.
Why, at St. Joseph’s Hospital (located in a high density area), one of the major employers in
the county, where St. Joseph’s and the parking lots of all the related medical buildings are
full to bursting almost everyday, is there only one bus line that directly services the area,
and only two other lines that, strangely, only provide a one way service? Where are the GO
lines here, and why does the existing service start late in the morning and end early in the
evening?!? Are you so busy that you can’t take the time to work out proper,
flexible schedules with the Schools, the Hospital, the ancillary medical buildings that
surround it, and any other areas I may have missed? It is not their job to work out schedules
to fit yours, you are the public servant, so the impetus is upon you to make this work.
Please tell me I have this all wrong.
Why don’t I see this on the side of every bus in the city: Call the WTA @ 676-RIDE to ride
to work for FREE!
The following is from: http://www.publictransportation.org/reports/asp/pays_to_ride.asp
“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 lets workers receive up to $230* a month in
employer-paid tax-free transit costs, or take up to $230 a month in tax-sheltered payroll deductions for
transit costs.
The law allows employers to give their workers up to $230 each month for transit or vanpool
commuting costs as a tax-free benefit. It also allows employers to give employees the option to use
payroll deductions to avoid paying taxes on up to $230 a month in commuting costs. Alternatively,
employers can share these costs with their workers by paying part of their monthly commuting costs
and letting workers pay the balance using pre-tax dollars. Either way, both employers and their
employees can save money by participating in this simple plan.”
Who, in your administration, is responsible for NOT banging away on the phone
everyday regarding this “dollars in our pockets” plan? Please tell me I am wrong.
Why have you not introduced a hybrid-ized version of a grid system that will mesh with
your Downtown and Cordata Transit Center’s bus routes, and give your riders transfer
coupons? Use smaller buses or large vans to ply the grid and whoa, you just might decrease
point to point time and increase ridership! Please tell me I am wrong.
The only thing I can find in your favor, is that you are not alone. It seems you are in an
elite group that just can’t seem to figure out what the words: efficiency, positive-cash flow,
being in the black, spending other people’s money as if it’s your own, or paying your own
way, mean. I discovered this when I read an article dated June of 2009, from the American
Public Transportation System with this title:
“Nine out of Ten Public Transit Systems Forced to Raise Fares or Cut Service in Cities
Where Transit Revenue is Declining — APTA Calls on Congress to Provide Relief for
Public Transit Riders”
http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2009/Pages/090612_constraints.aspx
Forget about running something our government has its hands in, in a fiscally responsible
manner, we need more “entitlement spending”! Just hang the cost, it’s not our money, it’s
the Government’s! Please tell me I am wrong.
If you haven’t done so already, get an audit! If you have done so, but aren’t following the
recommendations to, among other things, drastically cut your administration costs, (I am
just taking an educated guess on that one) why don’t you try it? A cursory look at your 2010
budget sure makes you seem “top heavy”, even after you eliminate 28 positions! In a time
of deflation, you tout “no cola increases”, and “negotiations with the ATU underway” as if
this is a big deal! Why, pray tell, is the following, taken directly from your budget pages,
not been in every budget you ever wrote?
2010 – 2015 Capital projects are limited to:
Essential replacements or other “must do” projects
Programs with substantial grant funding
Projects with a quick payback period
Defer rolling stock replacement until absolutely necessary
I will refer back to the lines regarding “paying your own way”, and close with this:
Margaret Thatcher said something you need to have in large, block print over the doorway
to your administration building: “Socialism works fine, until you run out of other people’s
money.”
Elliott F.
Bellingham, WA
19 November 2009 | Jon & Sharice Ballou Said:
Patti,
This is email we sent in. We didn’t hear back from anyone yet.
The Board continually asks the people that don’t ride the buses to foot the bill for this. There has been how many thousands of dollars spent on a state of the art repair facility. There has been how many dollars spent on trolley buses that we’re too expensive to maintain and then sold at a discounted rate, due to them being an oddity. Now you play these sob story ads on radio. There needs to be some education on how to run a business. Just because it’s tax payer money doesn’t give you the right to spend it as if there is no end. This is a tough time for everyone and it appears that you are going to try and raise taxes again.
First, you need to focus on the number of people that actually ride the bus and taylor the bus size to the number of people on those routes. How many times have I seen a large bus with one or two people on it. Then, you should think about raising the rates. Why aren’t people who ride the bus paying more of the cost of operation for the transit system? Sounds like a $1 for a ride is extremely inexpensive. What can you get for a $1 anymore?
Jon & Sharice
Whatcom County Resident
19 November 2009 | Peter Said:
Highways are 100% subsidized, even more than the WTA. I walk to work everyday, rarely drive anywhere and I still have to pay taxes for that? What a load of crap. I think we need to create toll highways all around the county so the people that are using the roads the most are contributing more funding. It only makes sense for the people that are using it to pay for it.
19 November 2009 | mb74 Said:
I’m a bit on the fence with this one - buses are very useful for a broad spectrum of people. Maybe it’s more a question of tailoring the service to the demand. WTA surely has a handle on their maximum usage times of day/days of the week, and they do have smaller buses for handicapped and special requests that could be in service in off peak times.. - Maybe selling some big ones and replacing with smaller ones might save some bucks.
We do see the large buses frequently go by nearly empty - that’s going to mean higher fuel usage I would think. While I’m no expert at running a bus service - Bellingham just about qualifies in size to have the luxury of a bus service. The 90%subsidy is not good. WTA should try to be more business like and offer attractive advertising rates - what a billboard three sides of a bus makes.
Tax is a very dirty word nowadays - it equals having a vein opened and left to bleed because everyone and his aunt wants to get in on hiking taxes on us these days.
19 November 2009 | capt bob Said:
Peter Peter highways are paid for through gas taxes…
19 November 2009 | capt bob Said:
Peter Peter the following applies to you……
If you drive a car I’ll tax the street
If you try to sit I’ll tax your seat
If you get too cold I’ll tax the heat
If you take a walk I’ll tax your feet
Cause I’m the taxman.
19 November 2009 | AKH Said:
WTA what a piss poor Gov. operation. Wasn’t it just a year ago they were begging for money and then 2 years before that? and what do they do with all those millions? They put stupid stickers all over the buses and art work on pick up huts, and signs every block for the GO routes ( which by the way should be called eye litter) If it costs $4.00 per rider to break even then charge $4.00 per rider you idiots, then we will shut our mouths but until then we will ralley against your waste and abuse of our tax dollars. Fire some workers, elimate some routes, charge more per rider, replace buses later, a 5 year old kid could figure that out. I saw the dummies outside the courthouse today with their signs and all of them had their union on them, I was suprised to be informed a union runs our city bus employees and now it all makes sense, gimmy-gimmy-gimmy more. The unions are really helping out Boeing aren’t they? If all you pukes in Government jobs haven’t figured it out yet people are sick and tired of you and we are starting to turn on you. TEA (taxed enough already) people are starting to organize and I think all your jobs are on the line, enjoy it while you got it or shut up. I rode the bus 5 years ago and sat next to a stinky bum who obviouly pissed himself and some mentally challenged lady who was talking to herself and picking her nose- that was the last time I rode the bus it was disqusting! HO-HUM I will vote against any extra money you may want, but I’m sure your Boy Barack hussien will bail you out. Take your bus and shove it!
19 November 2009 | Don Chadd Said:
Try this, lets set up an account at one of the banks and all the liberals, progressives and anyone else that loves the transit so much can contribute to the account. We can use the money make up for the losses they are having. This is one sure way to see how committed their supporters realy are to the cause. We have to stop giving the government power to extort money to support programs that are mismanaged and failing, most people don’t use and wouldn’t support if they had a choice. This is not what government for the people was intended to do.
19 November 2009 | BarnCat Said:
Mixed on this one as I’ve recently been stuck riding the bus between cars. Could be the higher fuel prices? Still maybe it’s time to look at how their money’s being spent already before allowing more. I think we need more covered bus stops first. We’d also have to see about more frequent and widespread route coverage. And what’s this hoolahdiddyo about no busses at night? Don’t raise the taxes and you won’t even need to raise the fare, increase the quantity and quality of service, the customers and their money will come. I paid 50 - 75 cents for Portland Oregon’s more frequent, earlier/later, widespread and more modern bus system. I can’t easily see going beyond a dollar fare for what Bellingham’s version is like now. Why’re they suffering a money shortage? This could use some examination.
20 November 2009 | Patti Brooks Said:
Barncat, you have been missed on the boards!
20 November 2009 | gary erickson Said:
note thaqt it isn’t anyone but the UNION that is putting out the whines for more money. No more money and they may be looking at the welfare lines. as has been said before…if it can’t support itself maybe it should go away, or allow private enterprise to prevail as it did years ago
20 November 2009 | gary erickson Said:
note that it isn’t anyone but the UNION that is putting out the whines for more money. No more money and they may be looking at the welfare lines. as has been said before…if it can’t support itself maybe it should go away, or allow private enterprise to prevail as it did years ago
03 December 2009 | JayT Said:
Reading these blogs reminds me why I don’t listen to KGMI. A bunch of irritated conservatives, that have way too much time on their hands.