“back to business….”
Here’s where our problems began:
The
budget does not call for a fare increase; however, MTA directors may
consider a new comprehensive fare structure later this year. There has
been no change in MTA fares in more than six years. (quick note, they DID raise fares significantly, and several times)
The
$2.724 billion MTA budget is balanced. It is up …approximately 6.7 percent more than the current fiscal year budget. This
reflects expansion of Metro Bus and Metro Rail service, more funding for
freeway carpool lanes and sound walls as well as more money for the
municipal bus operators, Metrolink, and paratransit services. Moreover,
MTA faces sharp increases in fuel and energy costs as well as higher
premiums for workers compensation insurance. (Part of their switch to the Sheriffs cited that they needed to do so to balance their budget. Here they said it WAS balanced. Mathematically, that just means they went with the Sheriffs so they could fatten the profits of the shareholders at the expense of safety.)
MTA
is still negotiating new contracts with LAPD and the sheriff’s
department. If those contracts cost more or less than what is earmarked in
the adopted budget, MTA directors would consider a budget amendment at a
later date. (Here’s where the MTA pulls an old Hollywood trick where you set up a sequel, except in this case, it would be called quick talk, or backpeddling, so that they can further fatten their pockets. Funny, if you look back a little further, under Commander Sharon Papa, the MTA and LAPD actually merged back in 1997.)
By November of 2001, the MTA system was already having SERIOUS SECURITY CONCERNS (that even included serial rape attacks under it’s watch) that it could do little to control. Sadly, this was only a foreshadowing for the following YEARS of corruption and public endangerment.
This fight is not over. I feel deeply saddened by what happened in London, and I feel that even a single person to die unwillingly is far too many. My feelings, thoughts, heart and prayers go out to everyone effected. There is some lining to this very dark cloud, and it may not be truly silver, but it is kinda greyish, at least.
Here in L.A., where the smallest rumble makes rich people freak out (I lived in northern Japan. Don’t even try to tell me you know what an earthquake is, little miss 818)… well, this incident in London made the rich people ask "how safe are we in our delusions?"… and were answered with a weak "we’ll get right to it.." by the MTA Sheriffs out here. On one hand, it’s awesome that we now have at least some attention to such an gaping, open, blatantly obvious threat to our security. I think that since London is so far away, we still don’t really feel the fear we should, and that it’s pretty sad that the Sheriff’s response basically only matches what the LAPD felt was the BARE MINIMUM for a standard of security when not on heightened alert status.
Yes, according to a friend of mine, a Captain with LAPD that has even been to the neighborhood walks my neighborhood association holds (yeah, try getting a Sheriff to show up for that!), when the LAPD had jurisdiction of the Metro rail system out here about 4 years ago, their minimum was to have at LEAST one squad car with an officer at every terminal that was in use, no exceptions. Funny, that appears to be what the Sheriffs FINALLY felt would be a good idea. WOW! It ONLY took 38 people to die!
AAAAARRRGH!!!!!!!
Very little frustrates me more than bureaucratic apathy, which is present here, but one of the things that I find worse than that is when those same lackluster performers pat themselves on the back for doing the BARE MINIMUM of what their competition would have been doing all along.
Dammit. Someone, anyone, please find a few someones who were attacked on the subway before I was, and that filed police reports. I just need to show that what happened to me is not an anomaly. With this megalith operation that relies solely on public support, if I have just a few documented police reports showing previous knowledge of this problem, I can make this a VERY public, and VERY expensive issue for the MTA. Unfortunately, just crying out for them to care isn’t going to work; they’ve been screwing us all for years.
Also, I want to send a quick thank you out to the attendees and promoter’s of last night’s ANTIVIOLENCE EVENT in Seattle! I will get to writing a much more personal and cohesive bunch of words to you guys when I am calmed down and less analytical. (the preceding brainstorm before the thank you is a direct result of me skipping my chanting and my coffee today. grrrr.)
