You think its bad for PAT now, it's about to get A LOT WORSE! (Pittsburgh: license, suburbs)

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

..Its 2012 NO CITY in America is or can be Successful and Thriving without robust public transit systems, ask Detroit. NOT 1 City..

to play devils advocate - Arlington, TX

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by pman

Brian-the tea party does not hold a lock on unthinking belief. those people exist in all areas.

I never claimed otherwise. I was just noting that the particular sort of unthinking belief on display by h_curtis is shared by, among others, Tea Party types.

[squarian]

Originally Posted by UKyank

Arlington, TX

She said "in America".

[pman]

Originally Posted by squarian

That seems to be where this is headed. On the one hand, Blackbeauty is absolutely right that a city of Pgh's size cannot do without a proper, functioning mass-transit system. On the other hand, we seem to be poised on the verge of a Khmer-Rouge experiment which will result in just that.

Presumably, eventually, if transit-friendly people can be elected to office in H-burg, some sort of phoenix will rise from the ashes - but anyone who thinks the interval will be good for the city is insane.

would it be possible for the city to hire, say, Mr. Bland and a few managers and launch its owned city based service? would it be eligible for state funding of any kind?

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

What do you want? More taxes? More propping up of a failing system? Why do I have to pay for the mistakes of leaders that can't negotiate properly and promise the world?

No Fix the failing system, and by "Fix" i don't mean starve it until it goes belly up, taking out the economy along with it.

You're cutting off you're nose (Regions Economy) to spite your face (PAT). You seriously don't get that? And if you don't well I'm sorry but there's just no hope.

I think I understand the situation MUCH better than you and Brian. I feel the drink tax was more than enough.

When you say "The Drink Tax was more than enough" you just deminstrated just how out of touch you really are with this situation. The Drink tax was soley for the purpose of making sure County (NOT STATE) has dedicated funds for PAT...The STATE HAS NO DEDICATED FUNDS and continues to give PAT LESS and LESS every year, while cost rise....The State plays the biggest part in PAT's funding scheme. You can't keep cut funds to the Agency (PAT) and expect them to maintain a level of services.

I am just the guy that is paying an extra 7% on my beer or wine when I go out. Thankfully, I rarely go out anymore due to that tax. I sort of boycotted it. I don't want yet another new tax to pay for this failing system. Charge the riders more. No more overtime for drivers. Fix it!

So that's all that matters to you in all of this is the price of your beer....Jesus Curtis! - GET OFF THE INTERNET!

[pman]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I never claimed otherwise. I was just noting that the particular sort of unthinking belief on display by h_curtis is shared by, among others, Tea Party types.

transit is often dominated by both types, one that wants to get rid of it entirely, the other that wants to fund it without asking tough questions.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by squarian

She said "in America".

I don't get it? Because they have lots of Hispanics there?

[gg]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Until then, you are just being deliberately ignorant.

As soon as you labeled my opinion a "tea party" movement, I knew the argument was over. Saying that is the same as a Fox News broadcast and pure propaganda.

Did you ever think that the powers that be and myself are correct is saying, fix your problems the tax payers have had enough? Seems I am in the majority, but maybe not on this forum.

If the drink tax wasn't enough, then find another way. I am done paying more taxes!

[squarian]

Originally Posted by pman

would it be possible for the city to hire, say, Mr. Bland and a few managers and launch its owned city based service? would it be eligible for state funding of any kind?

Good question - and I don't know the answer. My recollection is that the legislation which created PAT gave it exclusive rights to operate in Allegheny Co, but perhaps there's a loophole - or if not, perhaps the Gen Ass majority could be convinced to create one, if everyone said "pretty please".

But the Great Leap Forward is happening this year - and it will certainly take longer than that to even attract the attention of the Gen Ass leadership, much less prod them into action. So in the meantime, it's back to cart horses, apparently.

[robrobrob]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

So basically you're saying F*** the regions economy and the fact a majority of people wont be able to get to work, school, dr appts (Their Tax Payers too)....Will just let business and people pack up and leave region for locations that actually have better Public Transit and workers can actually get to work...because we should all hate PAT that much?

We should all prepare to sit in 2hrs worth of Traffic on Clogged Parkways, wasting our 5$ a gallon gas. Because we hate PAT....

Sorry but this type blind idiocy to the situation feeds right in to what Gov DoNothing his hoping for come election time. It will cause Pittsburgh to go through the Steel Collapse all over again....Its 2012 NO CITY in America is or can be Successful and Thriving without robust public transit systems, ask Detroit. NOT 1 City

Keep this in the back of your mind...US Steel is already contemplating moving it HQ out of Downtown (not saying its a direct effect of PAT), but what makes you think other corporate centers won't do the same if the majority of their employees can't get to work or get to work on time....

I think USX is contemplating moving to burbs because they want cheaper rent. I don't think they care about employees not being able to take the bus to work because their employees make enough to afford a car.

In my opinion, most of the affected USX employees, if given the choice, would pick free parking over public transportation. Now, the working poor who can't afford a car is something else.