PAT does get the $45 mil (Pittsburgh, Fox Chapel: chapel, layoffs, school)

[raubre]

Port Authority gets $45 million bailout

Fine for now until the tiresome cycle starts again next year...

PAT: "We have no money"
Gov't: "You ain't gettin' it"
PAT: "Oh well. I guess we'll have to threaten everyone's livilhoods then"
Gov't: "Oh wait. Look what we found! Money! Here you go!"

[BrianTH]

Given what he has said so far, I don't have much confidence in Corbett providing any useful leadership on this issue. But you never know--at least we have some time now.

[bbrian12]

its like when you find change in your couch cushion or a dollar in the washer and you say Wow i found money!! well guess what, you lost the $ in the first place

[gg]

With many drivers making over $80K with overtime, I suspect PAT will always be in trouble and always need to be bailed out. Guess who pays for it? Tax payers.

[BrianTH]

In the last CBA (approved at the end of 2008), PAT significantly cut its future labor costs (state law prevents it from doing anything about its legacy costs).

Although PAT's wages are still higher than the national average, they have been increasing at a slower rate than the national average for around the last 20 years, which means PAT's wages have declined in the rankings during that period (now down to 19th among the nation's transit agencies).

PAT definitely needs to do more to improve its operating efficiency, and that includes doing more to reduce its labor costs (although as noted, the legacy cost issue is largely out of its hands). On the other hand, refusing to recognize the progress PAT has been making lately on these issues undermines the incentives the relevant actors have to continue that progress.

[Little Mizz Pittsburgh]

OK, so all I want to know is if the rate hike and the service cuts are still going to happen now that they have this extra 45 million. I'm assuming the rate hike will still go on, come January, but what about all those service cuts, that had everyone in an uproar, that was supposed to happen March 13, 2011.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Little Mizz Pittsburgh

OK, so all I want to know is if the rate hike and the service cuts are still going to happen now that they have this extra 45 million. I'm assuming the rate hike will still go on, come January, but what about all those service cuts, that had everyone in an uproar, that was supposed to happen March 13, 2011.

From what I have read the rate hike is still on. The massive cuts are off, but they are looking at spreading this money into 2012, which would require smaller cuts.

[captainmidnight]

TransitBlog - Port Authority of Allegheny County: Short-Term Port Authority Funding Approved; 35% Service Reduction to be Scaled Back

The January 1st fare increase is still happening.

Instead of the 35% cut in March, Steve Bland estimated the cuts would be around 15% and then another round of cuts/layoffs late 2011 or early 2012. That would bring us to June 2012 when PAT uses up the short term funding.

Unfortunately, cuts and layoffs would still occur but the increased time allows lawmakers to find permanent funding.

[Pitts10yrs]

You cant expect people to be financially responsible when they are getting tax payer money. Just like the teacher's unions, they know they can hold you hostage, and wait for the tax hike to get their money.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Pitts10yrs

You cant expect people to be financially responsible when they are getting tax payer money. Just like the teacher's unions, they know they can hold you hostage, and wait for the tax hike to get their money.

You are not kidding about teachers unions. Fox Chapel school teachers get paid more than most any job and they work 1/2 a year if you consider the tons of holidays. It is amazing. Nothing anyone can do about it either.