By: Diane Benjamin
A new program in Normal is forcing taxpayers to pay for Town employees to ride the bus! Celebrate now – it’s coming for Bloomington employees too: January 26, 2016 Regular Board Proceedings
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NEW BUSINESS
Universal Access Agreement with the Town of Normal
Andrew Johnson, General Manager introduced this item. The Town of Normal had been participating in a pilot program in which the Town of Normal’s employees may ride Connect Transit’s fixed route service, with the Town of Normal paying the full fare. As a result, the Town of Normal has opted to enter into a Universal Access Agreement with Connect Transit. The Town of Normal will reimburse Connect Transit the full fare for its employees riding Connect Transit’s fixed route service from November 1, 2015 until October 31, 2016.
Motion by Vice Chairman Mike McCurdy, seconded by Trustee Judy Buchanan that the Universal Access Agreement between the Town of Normal and Connect Transit be approved.
AYE: All
NAY: None
Motion carried.
City of Bloomington City Manager, David Hales stated that he would like to explore a Universal Access Agreement pilot program for the City of Bloomington employees. Melissa Chrisman, Marketing and Business Development Manager stated that she would be in contact with him regarding same.
January 26, 2016 Regular Board Meeting Binder1a
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Meanwhile, through December 2015, Connect Transit has Revenue of $822,171 and Expenses of $5,191,863.
An Operating loss of $4,369,692
That’s a 6 MONTH loss!
The Town of Normal and the City of Bloomington realize Connect Transit needs more Revenue – so let’s pay for City employees to ride at your expense.
Your Sales tax just went up so both can hand Connect transit more tax dollars. How long before government employees are REQUIRED to ride the bus?
Your State tax dollars subsidize Connect Transit.
Your Federal tax dollars subsidize Connect Transit.
Your local tax dollars subsidize Connect Transit.
Why?
Renner and Koos are in Washington DC begging for more funding.
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The second quarter ridership is down 9.7% for fixed route ridership compared to last year. The year-to-date ridership has decreased 49,773 rides.
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Divide the millions they suck from the taxpayer by their ridership. Wouldn’t it just be cheaper to call everybody a taxi? But those Leftists love their “Public Transportation”–even though they wouldn’t be caught dead using it! SHUT IT DOWN!
“Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, it’s inherit value the sharing of misery.” WInston Churchill
Free or not, most won’t ride the bus just like they don’t ride bicycles. No, these folks are spoiled, they love the independence that their automobiles provide them. This is a desperate attempt to show more riders on the bus. It will be another failure as per the Koos/Reener regimes. What a waste of time.
Great article pointing out what a drain Connect Transit is to the tax payers. This proposal is a way for Connect to inflate the numbers and get someone else to pay their fare. What you have to understand when you deal with them is that they have no intention of ever being self sustaining, ever! Isn’t even on their radar. They exist to rape the tax payers while we provide transportation to those who refuse to pay. Even those who are riding and don’t have the correct change are still allowed on the bus.
The greater the numbers of riders, the more leverage Connect Transit has to get State and Federal funding. Koos and Hales know that.
This Access agreement is just another perk for city employees–like their sick leave buy back.
WHAT? I thought they were ALL driving EV cars! Guess I gotta stay more “plugged” into things!
The Town of Normal (and eventually the City of Bloomington) will be billed at a rate of $1,00 per ride for their employees. This means if their employee takes 3 buses to and from work the city will bill them $6.00 as there are no transfers included in the PER RIDE billing. If the employee paid for this themselves, in would cost the rider $2.00 per day not $6.00. I will bet the town council isn’t aware of this matter. They would be money ahead if they wanted to give their riders a bus allowance. What happens down the road if the Normal employees are REQUIRED to ride the bus? Then they will really be spending a lot of their taxpayers monies to Connect Transit.