I dont know of any goverment activity that affects more people lives everyday other then the act of moving thousands of people every morning and every night and to do that job safe. I also dont know of any major transit board in the US that is elected. I believe that some of this is a carry over from the private transit companies that were purchased by the cities over the years. I also believe that giving up board apointees by politicos means giving up perks and power to the winner under the guise of taking the poltics out of running buses and trains. However the fact that many who are on these boards dont even ride the trains
In most states, this would require a change in the enabling statutes that created the transit agency in the first place. I'm not sure that an elected board would make much of a difference.
You might not like the results. Most people who would vote do not use public transit and might not want to vote for those who would expand it or add costly features that would raise taxes. If you are pro-public transit then you are probably better off with appointees.
There is a misperception that transit only benifits inner-city poor and minorities. Light Rail has proven this wrong with masses of suberbanites first coming into the city first to ball games and later to actualy live and work in them. As of right now being in Buffalo NY we have a bare bones system with a bare bones budget that does not even serve the Urban Core very well. It can take well over 2 hours to get from one end of the city to the other and that is within city lines.
Our Board Members are appointed by a Govornor that is 400 miles away in Albany New York. Only 3 out of the 12 members actulay use the bus on occasion. Cant wait to get back down south to my small town in Virgina where everything is a 20 min walk to Grocery Store,Bar, Library and Work.
The history of elected judges doesn't provide much encouragement to do this.
CandOforprogress2There is a misperception that transit only benifits inner-city poor and minorities. Light Rail has proven this wrong with masses of suberbanites first coming into the city first to ball games and later to actualy live and work in them. As of right now being in Buffalo NY we have a bare bones system with a bare bones budget that does not even serve the Urban Core very well. It can take well over 2 hours to get from one end of the city to the other and that is within city lines. Our Board Members are appointed by a Govornor that is 400 miles away in Albany New York. Only 3 out of the 12 members actulay use the bus on occasion. Cant wait to get back down south to my small town in Virgina where everything is a 20 min walk to Grocery Store,Bar, Library and Work.
But you have Rex Ryan and the Bills - what more does Western New York need?
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
CandOforprogress2~snip~ Our Board Members are appointed by a Govornor that is 400 miles away in Albany New York. Only 3 out of the 12 members actulay use the bus on occasion. Cant wait to get back down south to my small town in Virgina where everything is a 20 min walk to Grocery Store,Bar, Library and Work.
A Downtown Stadium with another rail line,,,and a
BaltACD CandOforprogress2 There is a misperception that transit only benifits inner-city poor and minorities. Light Rail has proven this wrong with masses of suberbanites first coming into the city first to ball games and later to actualy live and work in them. As of right now being in Buffalo NY we have a bare bones system with a bare bones budget that does not even serve the Urban Core very well. It can take well over 2 hours to get from one end of the city to the other and that is within city lines. Our Board Members are appointed by a Govornor that is 400 miles away in Albany New York. Only 3 out of the 12 members actulay use the bus on occasion. Cant wait to get back down south to my small town in Virgina where everything is a 20 min walk to Grocery Store,Bar, Library and Work. But you have Rex Ryan and the Bills - what more does Western New York need?
CandOforprogress2 There is a misperception that transit only benifits inner-city poor and minorities. Light Rail has proven this wrong with masses of suberbanites first coming into the city first to ball games and later to actualy live and work in them. As of right now being in Buffalo NY we have a bare bones system with a bare bones budget that does not even serve the Urban Core very well. It can take well over 2 hours to get from one end of the city to the other and that is within city lines. Our Board Members are appointed by a Govornor that is 400 miles away in Albany New York. Only 3 out of the 12 members actulay use the bus on occasion. Cant wait to get back down south to my small town in Virgina where everything is a 20 min walk to Grocery Store,Bar, Library and Work.
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