CP just received this note from MDOT Secretary John Porcari (CP apologizes for the formatting):
Dear Mr. Foer:
Thank you for your email to Governor Martin O’Malley regarding the Maryland Transit
Administration’s (MTA) proposal to eliminate all service on Commuter Bus route 921.
Governor O’Malley received your correspondence and asked me to respond to you on his behalf.Because of the current national economic downturn, the State’s Transportation Trust Fund can not support the MTA with its required operating resources. I deeply regret the necessity to curtail any public transit services, but some hard decisions are necessary. Several Commuter Bus routes are being eliminated, and others reduced. The MTA is trying to impact as few customers as possible. Route 921 passengers have options that allow them to use the 922 or 950 Commuter Bus routes. It is essential to maintain public transit services to areas where no other options exist. Transit service on all routes surrounding the holidays will be eliminated in order to reduce our operating expenses.
All of these proposed cuts will realize savings of approximately $6 million and, along with a
reduction in MARC Train service, the MTA should realize a total of $10 million in savings. As
you probably know, the MTA has been conducting hearings on the proposed service eliminations and reductions. I can assure you that your letter will be given full consideration before final decisions are made.
Thank you, again, for your email. If you have any additional questions or comments, please
contact Mr. Glenn Litsinger, MTA’s Acting Director, Office of Customer Information, at
4 10-767-8358 or by email at glitsinger@mtamaryland.com.
Sincerely,
John D Porcari
Secretary
Thank you Secretary Porcari. I can't say I am surprised. We're going to save $10 million. We have a major budget problem. Transit is an easy target-always has been and always will be. We protest. We lose. First the loss of the 210 and now the 921. When will it end? If the MTA were a quasi-public authority instead of a state-owned regional system (the only one of its kind in the US to my knowledge) this might not have happened! My next windmill-charging battle may be a statewide campaign to transform the MTA-which DOT has fought before. By he way, I did write to Mr. Litsinger....and never heard back. Paul Foer
Please send comments, subscribe, share with your friends, and support our sponsors. Join us at Ahh Coffee! in Eastport almost every Thursday from 8-9 am.
Bay Daily on Hiatus
-
Congratulations to Bay Daily creator, Tom Pelton, who has accepted a
position with another organization working to make the world a better
place. In his ab...
10 years ago
2 Comments:
This budget crisis is like no other. Previous recessions merely meant that the increase in state revenue would not be as high as projected ( eg 3% revenue growth instead of 5%) This was a problem because spending was programmed to meet the higher projection. Now the problem is not slower growth it is actual shrinkage. Tax reciepts next year will be lower than recieved in 2008. Right now the shrinkage is estiante to be 600million less but that loss will grow. The economy will dictate for the next 5years that government will be smaller and services we all like will go away.
Dear Anonymous
Please feel free to make a more detailed post about how this might affect Annapolis. As you know, Mayor Moyer says our finances are in good shape. Thanks.
Post a Comment