The above paragraph is from a post by JARRET WALKER , who is a world renown transit consultant who is also the publisher of HUMAN TRANSIT blog. Most of the material that Mr Walker produces I consider top rate and have cross posted many of his items right here.
Now I had a little tiff with Jarret after he vociferously defended the Trimet management and canned the KOIN investigation. I took offense to that because there is absolutely no defending Trimet executives for 'stealing' (yes stealing) $1 million dollars at the exact same time my pension was reduced by 20% fares were increased and service cut to the bone. I attacked him he attacked me back. That was that, a one time battle. Now this post above comes out.
I made the following comment (abbreviated)
Let's remember, these people in charge took an axe to service AND raised the fares pleading poverty all the while and at the exact same time hid raises for themselves of $1 million that goes on in perpetuity.
To which Jarret then responded (abbreviated)
Thanks for reminding us that a sufficiently vivid conspiracy theory can help anyone feel like they've escaped the facts of math.
Now he is missing my point, as almost everyone does. Let's look at the top paragraph again
fare cut costing $2.6 million
Now the Trimet executive raises which were handed out the year before, had they not been handed out that year there would have been $2 million dollars available to pay for the OPAL extended transfers.
The point I am trying to make is WHY IS THERE ALWAYS MONEY AVAILABLE FOR CONTRACTOR AND EXECUTIVES AND NEVER ANY MONEY AVAILABLE FOR RIDERS OR EMPLOYEES.
The employees and riders have paid dearly over the last several years for Trimet problems. I have personally lost more than 20% of my pension along with added deductibles. I've suffered the same fate as the Greeks have. Not one word in the media.
Yet these executives are worried about 'retention' and 'not getting enough money'.
It's a freaking disgrace that this kind of thinking is allowed as normal in this sick country of ours.
5 comments:
Jarret Walker gets his funding from people like Mcfarlane. You don't actually expect him to be objective about this topic do you?
"It is difficult for a man (ie. Jarrett Walker) to understand something, when his salary depends on him not understanding it." -Upton Sinclair
In other words, Mr. Walker is what you call a sell-out.
Yes to both comments
But he still has produced some excellent work in the transit field. Very good research with very good conclusions. Just not in the matter of Trimet executive affairs
He loses almost all credibility when he refers to a serious case of malfeasance and public deception as a conspiracy theory. Reality and facts aren't theory Mr. Walker, quit the obfuscating on behalf of shameless, greedy execs.
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