By: Diane Benjamin
March 28, 2023 meeting: https://www.connect-transit.com/file/1222/03%2028%202023_BoT%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf
Connect had an operating deficit in March of $1,231,478. Every Fixed Route passenger was subsidized $5.13, celebrate though! February was $6.23.
Every ride on Mobility was subsidized $34.75. Celebrate again because in February it was $34.90.
Read the Congressional Update starting on page 13. It details the behind the scenes Washington DC games. Don’t believe media when you can see for yourself the struggles happening – including what the Federal Reserve is doing by raising interest rates.
PDF page 17: Connect is cash renting 5 acres of farm land for one year. It’s short term because Connect might want to use it soon. The page doesn’t say for what.
PDF page 21: Ridership has been increasing but it isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels.
PDF page 27 shows CT is the ISU bus system. It also shows why empty buses are everywhere. Sapphire is the new route to Rivian.
PDF page 43 shows anticipated trainings for staff and board members. It isn’t possible for CT to only send a few people and have them report back what they learned. $28,100 to send 9 people to Orlando sounds fun!
PDF page 48 Shows the results of the Solar Panels installed. Somewhere I heard the panels don’t charge the electric buses. they are for the rest of operations. Let’s round the numbers – Utilities averaged $50,000 a year. The panels are reducing that by 47%. That means the panels save $26,500 a year.
Connect Transit spent $1,715,000 installing solar panels and bus charging infrastructure. How many years is it going to take to break even? The documentation doesn’t breakdown just the cost of the solar panels vrs charging. Even if the cost for them was only $1,000,000 it will take 38 years. PDF page 52: https://www.connect-transit.com/file/223/November%2024%202020%20Connect%20Transit%20Board%20Packet.pdf
There is talk of making Connect Transit it’s own taxing authority. The below PROVES why that should never happen. The cost of operations would increase since the costs for every system allowed to tax citizens directly is higher: PDF page 52
PDF page 53 shows next years budgeted revenue, most is redistribution of your wealth through taxes:
Bloomington will be paying more, Normal won’t. Evidently the people CT hired to sell advertising aren’t. Details of what they promised are in this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/02/24/seven-things-you-need-to-know/
PDF page 54 – the Downtown Transfer station is still happening. I wonder if Bloomington’s new glorious downtown plan includes it. We should know soon. Does Bloomington know their attempt to be Uptown will not fill empty buildings? It didn’t in Uptown.
In a story today, the EPA will announce next week “restrictions” on vehicle manufacturers for all vehicles manufactured from next year into the 2030’s. It is expected the announcement will include direction to eventually force the manufacturers to build nothing but electric powered transportation by the mid 2030’s, thereby ending by government fiat the end of the internal combustion engine as a means of transport. Think some locals aren’t involved in seeing this through? Communism at our doorstep and few care or realize their bleak futures. At least BN will become part of the planned politburo. Laugh at me and others all you want.
When is todays next post?
Never
Hey, really great post, Diane. Just needs more indecipherable graphs and contextless numbers. You’re doing a great job! 👍🏻
I pray you find true peace soon. Try an Easter service tomorrow
The homeless will be grateful when downtown transit hub happens. So will the downtown drug dealers.