A lot of advocacy groups are good at complaining but not so good at coming up with workable solutions. OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon has spent many hours tweaking TriMet's proposed budget to reduce fare increases and maintain bus service during the past few weeks, however.
Members of the group met with TriMet board members and staff to make sure everyone agrees on their numbers.
OPAL, which believes public transit is a civil right, accepts the creation of a single fare, the elimination of the Free Rail Zone and the reconfiguration of 15 bus routes to improve efficiency, as TriMet proposes. But OPAL argues for lower fares, discount ticket books, extended transfer times and maintaining low-ridership lines. The group would balance the budget with a smaller contingency fund, reduced subsidies for Portland Streetcar and parking fees at park-and-ride lots.
OPAL says its budget would generate more than 300,000 additional rides a year while TriMet's proposed budget would reduce them by 1.1 million. Dozens of people are preparing to testify in support of OPAL's proposal at the board's June 13 meeting. The group also is organizing a rally before the meeting, when the final budget could be adopted.
OPAL's alternative budget can be found at opalpdx.org.
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