EDITOR: The Santa Clara VTA Riders Union (SCVTARU
– http://www.vtaridersunion.org/), a transit advocacy and
watchdog group for the South Bay, will join other community groups
to protest 10 percent fare hikes and reductions in paratransit
service proposed by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
(VTA) at their meeting Thursday.
EDITOR:
The Santa Clara VTA Riders Union (SCVTARU – http://www.vtaridersunion.org/), a transit advocacy and watchdog group for the South Bay, will join other community groups to protest 10 percent fare hikes and reductions in paratransit service proposed by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) at their meeting Thursday. The protest will be held at 5 p.m. in front of the county government offices, 70 W. Hedding St., San Jose.
One hour after the rally and protest concludes, the VTA’s Board of Directors will vote on a “triple threat” of proposals to raise transit fares by 10 percent, reduce paratransit service and approve a budget for the 2004 and 2005 fiscal years that include 21 percent more transit service cuts.
At their Board meeting after the protest and rally, the VTA Board will vote whether or not to raise the adult base fare from the current $1.40 to $1.50, and increase the cost of an adult day pass from the current $4 to $5.
SCVTARU found that the VTA is primarily targeting senior and disabled riders with this round of fare increases. Specifically, VTA proposes to raise the cost of a senior/disabled day pass from $1.25 to $2 – an increase of 60 percent Worse, VTA proposes to raise the cost of a senior/disabled monthly pass from the current $11 to $20 – an increase of 82 percent. SCVTARU continues to question the rationale of increasing fares for senior and disabled riders – many of whom live on fixed incomes and likely unable to drive an automobile due to age, health, or financial reasons – in an economic recession. These citizens depend on mass transit as their only means of mobility.
By making transit more expensive to use, these citizens must rely on friends or relatives for mobility, thus taking away their independence. If approved by the VTA Board at their June 5 meeting, these devastating fare increases would take effect on Aug. 1, and would mark the second fare increase in as many years.
Another proposal that SCVTARU considers an attack on the South Bay’s elderly and disabled involves the VTA’s proposal to replace paratransit “door-to-door”service with “curb-to-curb” service. In addition, VTA proposes to restrict paratransit service within 3/4 of a mile of the nearest bus or light rail stop. While VTA claims this is being done to comply at the most minimal level with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) laws, SCVTARU says this will have dangerous consequences for paratransit riders who are visually impaired, or who have symptoms of dementia.
“Curb-to-curb” service will mean these riders will require personal aid – often at their own expense – to help them between the paratransit vehicle and their destination. For those riders who cannot afford such assistance, “curb-to-curb” service places them at high risk for becoming victims of assault and/or robbery between the paratransit vehicle and their final destination.
South Valley paratransit riders – especially in isolated areas – would be hardest hit by the VTA’s proposal to limit paratransit services to within 3/4 mile from the nearest bus stop. With many South Valley paratransit riders living more than one mile from the nearest VTA bus stop, VTA’s proposal effectively cuts these riders off from the rest of society. Gilroy Mayor Tom Springer – who sits on the VTA’s Board of Directors – has been trying to put together an amendment to the VTA’s paratransit service reduction proposal that prevents this scenario from occurring.
VTA claims the 10 percent fare hike, combined with the paratransit service cuts, will save nearly $10 million per year. VTA’s 2004/2005 Fiscal Year Recommended Budget assumes that a 21 percent transit service cut will take place in October. However, VTA has scheduled meetings throughout the county in June.
By approving a budget with service reductions already programmed in, SCVTARU believes that VTA will have already made the public meetings into a complete sham. An analysis SCVTARU performed of the VTA’s 2004/2005 Fiscal Year Recommended Budget identified nearly $30 million in waste. That analysis was presented to the VTA’s Administration and Finance Committee last Wednesday. Among the examples identified in the report were $307,000 in office furniture and the rearrangement of VTA General Manager Peter Cipolla’s office, and $9 million wasted on unnecessary Outreach paratransit vehicular travel. SCVTARU believes the service cuts and fare hikes would not be a necessity if VTA had shown more fiscal responsibility.
Concerned taxpayers and transit riders throughout the South Bay are strongly encouraged to attend this Thursday’s rally and subsequent VTA Board meeting. The rally and board meeting can be accessed via VTA bus lines 36, 62, 66, and 180. Both events are also one block north of Civic Center light rail station.
Eugene Bradley, founder,
Santa Clara VTA Riders Union
http://www.vtaridersunion.org
