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Southern California Transit Advocates is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, development and improvement of public transportation in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Kymberleigh Richards' statement at 1999 Metro fare increase public hearing

This was the official position of Southern California Transit Advocates, but was written by Ms. Richards.



I speak as a member of the Executive Committee of Southern California Transit Advocates, which is a non-profit advocacy and public policy review organization.

I have served as one of this agency's volunteer passenger advisors since 1996. With that in mind, I would like to thank those remaining Directors that have remained through this. I think it shows tremendous commitment on their part to take time off and be here. I also want to thank the CEO, Mr. Burke, to take time off from his weekend to be here this morning.

Southern California Transit Advocates generally supports the fare increase, but we would like to suggest that measures be taken that the amount of fare increase be routed specifically to a budget item that would specifically go for increasing service within the Metro system. We also support the elimination of any duplicative bus service running hours as Metro Rail expands, with the provision that those hours be allocated to improving local service.

In addition, we would like to caution the agency as they hear cries for a 50-cent fare and a $20 pass that this agency must not endanger its ability to get state transportation development act funding by jeopardizing the farebox recovery ratio. I would also like to address the remarks that were made about such agencies an Santa Clarita Transit and Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines. Yes, those agencies have lower fares. However, we must also consider that the MTA is one of the largest transit agencies in this country, has the largest number of route miles, and therefore, quite obviously has a higher cost of operation, filling exponentially more buses than those two agencies, across this entire county.

Obviously a lower fare must be tied to lower operating cost, and we do not have that luxury when this far-flung a system must be operated by the agency. I would also like to caution those who have brought their side issues here. Transit is not about solving society's problems. It is about moving people. If it's going to take more money from the farebox to accomplish that, then so be it.

We go on record as supporting the fare increase.