Trimet board of puppets December meeting

Lets see what happened and who got the Trimet corporate welfare today

1- LOW INCOME FARE resolution. This funding is coming from the tax grab ($5.3 billion or $1400 per Oregon resident) that was foisted on citizens without seeking their approval. Trimet should have instituted a low income fare when they eliminated the zones and made everyone pay the high fare.

2-$1,976,195 to  ORTIZ AND ASSOCIATES to provide services that should be done by in house union employees. Bus shelter maintenance. Trimet has 658 buses that run on 79 routes with 6,591 bus stops and 1000 bus shelters

3-EXEMPTION TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING. Trimet argues that this method allows them to select the "best" contractor. I find that argument absurd because they could still choose the best contractor with sealed competitive bidding. They argue they MUST take the low bidder but I know that's false because I've seen them take a bid that was not the lowest because they thought they were better qualified. This is how corruption looks and it should not be allowed, ever. The project is the Gideon walkway.

4-The UNION CONTRACT. Stedmen bragged that Trimet did not have to give back any of the health benefits that former president Hansen gave away without a fight. That's whole other story that I don't have time to write about.

5-$3,197,555 to remodel the Ruby Garage.   Its yet another capital project in the long list of never ending capital projects. So much cash goes into capital projects its unbelievable.

6-$1,132,290 for some kind of security bullshit.  Just a damn shame that so much money goes for things that have nothing to do with transit riders.

7-$5,000,000,000 to Metro, for the SW Corridor. Ah the next light rail line, this time to Tigard. Yes we are getting light rail to Tigard, the "leaders" have decreed it.

8-Transportation tax grab committees. AKA HB2017. They need to fill the committees

9-Fare evasion fine schedule. After 7 years of constant harassment  with the "zero Tolerance" policy that Mcfarlane brought in when He assumed the Trimet throne, now benevolence. I remember when Mcfarlane declared war on fare evaders, it was at the same time he declared war on his union employees. Now everything should be forgiven and he's a nice guy after all eh? No way.