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| Victor Kruger |
Somewhere
along the line, both Trimet supporters and Trimet enemies will have to
come to grips with a basic truth. Almost all the problems that Trimet
users face are both REAL and NOT inherent characteristics of urban mass
transit.
Trimet light rail has a serious security problem on virtually all of its lines. Including those serving relatively higher income Beaverton/Aloha/Hillsboro, so it is not an issue of MAX passing through low-income communities of color in NE/SE PDX and Gresham, as racist conservatives like to claim. Denying it, and denying that Trimet management would rather give themselves fat raises than pay for serious security upgrades, does not help the cause of urban mass transit in the Portland metro region.
The issue of poorly managed fare machines again falls directly on the shoulders of Trimet management, not on some conspiracy by anti-mass transit conservatives to promote falsehoods.
Another inconvenient truth is that many so called "liberal" politicians, including John Kitzhaber, prefer to campaign on support for urban mass transit than actually support its customers, once they fool voters into electing them. They campaign on support for urban mass transit to garner federal dollars to enlarge their personal power, not because they care about safe, effective efficient mass transit or the riders who depend upon it.
They have allowed Trimet to be controlled and run by a bunch of lazy overpaid underperforming incompetent bureaucrats in a classic, "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" cynical political model. Everybody gets federal dollars to expand the system, everybody's income increases, the system is forced to erode basic services to the average user to stay within budget, fares skyrocket to insane levels and the system makes more enemies than supporters. Riders suffer, victimized by poor service, a dangerous lack of security and unaffordable fares.
While Kitzhaber and his claque of faux-liberals can go to Washington and brag on being progressive supporters of public mass transportation. With "friends" like John Kitzhaber and his sycophants, who needs Lars Larson?
You, Grammy, SP Red Electric, 700rpm, The Rampant Lion andTrimet light rail has a serious security problem on virtually all of its lines. Including those serving relatively higher income Beaverton/Aloha/Hillsboro, so it is not an issue of MAX passing through low-income communities of color in NE/SE PDX and Gresham, as racist conservatives like to claim. Denying it, and denying that Trimet management would rather give themselves fat raises than pay for serious security upgrades, does not help the cause of urban mass transit in the Portland metro region.
The issue of poorly managed fare machines again falls directly on the shoulders of Trimet management, not on some conspiracy by anti-mass transit conservatives to promote falsehoods.
Another inconvenient truth is that many so called "liberal" politicians, including John Kitzhaber, prefer to campaign on support for urban mass transit than actually support its customers, once they fool voters into electing them. They campaign on support for urban mass transit to garner federal dollars to enlarge their personal power, not because they care about safe, effective efficient mass transit or the riders who depend upon it.
They have allowed Trimet to be controlled and run by a bunch of lazy overpaid underperforming incompetent bureaucrats in a classic, "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" cynical political model. Everybody gets federal dollars to expand the system, everybody's income increases, the system is forced to erode basic services to the average user to stay within budget, fares skyrocket to insane levels and the system makes more enemies than supporters. Riders suffer, victimized by poor service, a dangerous lack of security and unaffordable fares.
While Kitzhaber and his claque of faux-liberals can go to Washington and brag on being progressive supporters of public mass transportation. With "friends" like John Kitzhaber and his sycophants, who needs Lars Larson?
ORIGINAL HERE!
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