At least have the decency and common courtesy to get the quote correct –
“Next thing you will try to tell me is that these other systems were so irresponsible that they also released and published their entire budgets!”
“Cleveland had already joined with it's neighbors to fund their mass-transit system” – Could it possibly be that downtown Cleveland has shopping, massive employment opportunities, legitimate entertainment and real ties with long range (airport) transportation? Sort of like other areas would benefit from inexpensive transport INTO downtown Cleveland? Then, as a whole, they decided it was not worth increasing local funding to maintain service at the prior level?
“No, the system is in financial trouble because state and federal funding was cut. Even some "real" mass-tansit systems (Clevel"and, Chicago, etc.) had to make service cuts due to funding cuts.”
At least you admit that the WRTA is not a “real” system.
Let me get this straight, in the cities you mentioned, they cut service instead of attempting to extort funds out of other independent local governments that would gain nothing from the additional funds? Next thing you will try to tell me is that these other systems were so irresponsible that they also released and published their entire budgets!
Let’s just say there are an average of 15 people on each bus per route. That works out to 266 one way routes each day. Where do those 266 routes go to?
City, just link to their financials online not just a story, that will end all of the estimates. The only problem is, their complete financial report is nowhere to be found. Even with the limited and incomplete information available, you even come up with a $4.75 per passenger subsidy. I don’t believe this includes ALL of their revenue streams, like what is transferred from other government agencies for “services” provided.?
This is just a government funded entity that refuses to provide detailed financials to the taxpayers so they can make an informed decision. I wonder why?
If this had been a serious operation, they would have audited financials and audited rider ship data as a sales tool for the levy, not just a bleeding heart television special.
In 2006, their over all non-rider ship revenue was about was $7 million. The rider ship had previously peaked at about 1.4 million and had dropped to about 1 million That works out to an all in subsidy of $7 per rider.
I AM talking all in costs, just like a business does. If I run a retail establishment and only look at what the inventory costs me, I will go broke. I have to figure in my capital expenses also. It doesn’t matter that federal or state funds can only go to capital expenses, they are still EXPENSES to run the service.
My statement still accurately stands, the subsidy is at something north of $5 per passenger and likely closer to $5 per passenger mile.
A guy runs away with his girlfriend and his mother to a trailer they rented in West Virginia, leaves the receipts for the rental in his mothers’ car, which they abandon in an obvious place.
A lack of demand for steel due to the completion of the construction of the majority of the American infrastructure. A union mentality that had former steel workers in an interview 10 years after the mills closed saying ‘we are not going to take a job flipping burgers, we know the mills will reopen’ has a background shot showed a smoke stack being demolished.
A political environment and an organized crime elite which specialized in developing innovative ways of separating blue collar workers from their money which thrived until they discovered ways of separating the poor and aged from their money. Oh, and it was and is impossible to tell the difference between the local politicians and organized crime.
A current environment which tolerates overt criminal activities, failed schools and attempted extortion by the mayor because they confiscate 80% of their revenues from non-city residents and provide them no services.
I think Rolling Stone was pretty generous in their article about Youngstown.
I find it fascinating that there still has been NO detailed accounting of revenue and expenses for the WRTA. As I stated previously and backed up with their numbers, from just an operational perspective (not including any capital expenses or special grants), the current subsidy level is over $5 per passenger per ride. All in it is likely over $5 per passenger mile.
It appears the city is trying to foist this white elephant on county taxpayers so that mayor Jay and his administration can pay off political obligations with patronage jobs created by the additional revenues. They are already poised for a major capital project on the old Salvation Army grounds.
WRTA refuses to account for the massive Federal, State and local finding it receives now. NEVER trust a bureaucrat with your money when they have never been open with how those monies are spent before.
If the city needs more money to run the WRTA, then sell the Chevy Center.
“That program rounds up the city’s worst criminals and confronts them with the relatives of crime victims and other neighborhood leaders in hopes they’ll change their ways.”
Well there’s your problem!
If you are going to round up ‘the city’s worst criminals’, shouldn’t they be put in prison to protect potential victims from their criminal activity?
“If they don’t, police target the killers”??????
Does this mean it is ok to kill once, as long as you promise not to do it again???
I’m sorry, but any society that takes this kind of approach to violent criminals is doomed to fail. First you need to prosecute and punish these criminals to the maximum extent of the law, then you take their children away from them and give them an education and a sense of values so that they at least have the possibility of not being an abject failure in life like their parent(s).
Posted on October 14 at 1:18 p.m.
At least have the decency and common courtesy to get the quote correct –
“Next thing you will try to tell me is that these other systems were so irresponsible that they also released and published their entire budgets!”
“Cleveland had already joined with it's neighbors to fund their mass-transit system” – Could it possibly be that downtown Cleveland has shopping, massive employment opportunities, legitimate entertainment and real ties with long range (airport) transportation? Sort of like other areas would benefit from inexpensive transport INTO downtown Cleveland? Then, as a whole, they decided it was not worth increasing local funding to maintain service at the prior level?
Posted on October 14 at 11:31 a.m.
“No, the system is in financial trouble because state and federal funding was cut. Even some "real" mass-tansit systems (Clevel"and, Chicago, etc.) had to make service cuts due to funding cuts.”
At least you admit that the WRTA is not a “real” system.
Let me get this straight, in the cities you mentioned, they cut service instead of attempting to extort funds out of other independent local governments that would gain nothing from the additional funds? Next thing you will try to tell me is that these other systems were so irresponsible that they also released and published their entire budgets!
Posted on October 10 at 2:42 p.m.
4,000 passengers per day?
Let’s just say there are an average of 15 people on each bus per route. That works out to 266 one way routes each day. Where do those 266 routes go to?
Posted on October 9 at 5:48 p.m.
City, just link to their financials online not just a story, that will end all of the estimates. The only problem is, their complete financial report is nowhere to be found. Even with the limited and incomplete information available, you even come up with a $4.75 per passenger subsidy. I don’t believe this includes ALL of their revenue streams, like what is transferred from other government agencies for “services” provided.?
This is just a government funded entity that refuses to provide detailed financials to the taxpayers so they can make an informed decision. I wonder why?
If this had been a serious operation, they would have audited financials and audited rider ship data as a sales tool for the levy, not just a bleeding heart television special.
Posted on October 9 at 2:04 p.m.
In 2006, their over all non-rider ship revenue was about was $7 million. The rider ship had previously peaked at about 1.4 million and had dropped to about 1 million That works out to an all in subsidy of $7 per rider.
I AM talking all in costs, just like a business does. If I run a retail establishment and only look at what the inventory costs me, I will go broke. I have to figure in my capital expenses also. It doesn’t matter that federal or state funds can only go to capital expenses, they are still EXPENSES to run the service.
My statement still accurately stands, the subsidy is at something north of $5 per passenger and likely closer to $5 per passenger mile.
Posted on October 9 at 8:33 a.m.
“they carry about 4000 passengers per day”
Where can I find this number published by the WRTA????
Posted on October 8 at 5:10 p.m.
Let me get this straight;
A guy runs away with his girlfriend and his mother to a trailer they rented in West Virginia, leaves the receipts for the rental in his mothers’ car, which they abandon in an obvious place.
A lack of demand for steel due to the completion of the construction of the majority of the American infrastructure. A union mentality that had former steel workers in an interview 10 years after the mills closed saying ‘we are not going to take a job flipping burgers, we know the mills will reopen’ has a background shot showed a smoke stack being demolished.
A political environment and an organized crime elite which specialized in developing innovative ways of separating blue collar workers from their money which thrived until they discovered ways of separating the poor and aged from their money. Oh, and it was and is impossible to tell the difference between the local politicians and organized crime.
A current environment which tolerates overt criminal activities, failed schools and attempted extortion by the mayor because they confiscate 80% of their revenues from non-city residents and provide them no services.
I think Rolling Stone was pretty generous in their article about Youngstown.
Posted on October 8 at 4:03 p.m.
I find it fascinating that there still has been NO detailed accounting of revenue and expenses for the WRTA. As I stated previously and backed up with their numbers, from just an operational perspective (not including any capital expenses or special grants), the current subsidy level is over $5 per passenger per ride. All in it is likely over $5 per passenger mile.
It appears the city is trying to foist this white elephant on county taxpayers so that mayor Jay and his administration can pay off political obligations with patronage jobs created by the additional revenues. They are already poised for a major capital project on the old Salvation Army grounds.
WRTA refuses to account for the massive Federal, State and local finding it receives now. NEVER trust a bureaucrat with your money when they have never been open with how those monies are spent before.
If the city needs more money to run the WRTA, then sell the Chevy Center.
VOTE NO ON THE WRTA LEVY
Posted on October 8 at 1:13 p.m.
“That program rounds up the city’s worst criminals and confronts them with the relatives of crime victims and other neighborhood leaders in hopes they’ll change their ways.”
Well there’s your problem!
If you are going to round up ‘the city’s worst criminals’, shouldn’t they be put in prison to protect potential victims from their criminal activity?
“If they don’t, police target the killers”??????
Does this mean it is ok to kill once, as long as you promise not to do it again???
I’m sorry, but any society that takes this kind of approach to violent criminals is doomed to fail. First you need to prosecute and punish these criminals to the maximum extent of the law, then you take their children away from them and give them an education and a sense of values so that they at least have the possibility of not being an abject failure in life like their parent(s).
Posted on September 19 at 6:11 p.m.
Gosh, Food Stamps for residents of Poland and Canfield!