Stephen Coles
The Bay Area regional transit measure is not a “bailout” for #BART & #Muni because they are failing. It’s simply addressing the problem that our agencies rely too much on fares to survive. It’s normal and right for our cities to subsidize public #transit, just like nearly every other major city.
Apr 4 at 5:58pmWeb
Show threadacffh morstApr 4
@stewf Public transit should be free, otherwise it's like regressive taxation; putting extra burden on those who can least afford it!
Show threadPer NystromApr 4

@stewf

These are the fare machines at my local light rail station -- all vandalized and inoperative, for YEARS now. Granted, I don't even know if the VTA would be funded by the initiative. But I'm not inclined to be sympathetic when the system can't even collect the fares it's supposed to!

Show threadEndlessMasonApr 6

@pnystrom @stewf
And all that ticket machinery costs money, all those ticket enforcement people cost money, all the extra monitoring and security on the ticket gates/machines cost money, the app or smart card or paper for tickets all cost money

All of that cash could be used for power washing, or accessibility ramps and clean toilets, or replacing those fucking twitching strobe-mode overhead lights, or having staff to help little old ladies off the train, or getting the timetable screens actually showing where/when the train is supposed to show up, or for some nice gardening/furniture/painting/art around the place so the station doesn't look/smell like a concrete storm drain under a freeway

You know, the little touches

Show threadBreezyApr 4
@stewf
This drives me mad. It is a SERVICE not a business.
Show threadBrendon JustinApr 5
@stewf the measure brings transit subsidies closer to driving/road subsidies. Easiest way to argue in favor of it IMO. Even if transit subsidies still would be much less than driving subsidies