Community Activists Demonstrate Support for the MBTA

BOSTON/Theater District – Calling on the MBTA Board of Directors to reject fare hikes and service cuts members of the T Riders Union demonstrated in front of the State Transportation Building on Thursday. The Board which met later that afternoon is considering how to make up an annual deficit currently estimated at $160 Million. Kalila Barnett Executive Director of Alternatives for Community and Environment a social and environmental justice organization based in Roxbury said she and her fellow activists want mass transit fares to stay affordable. Barnett said she would tell the Board “about issues that our communities have been facing that the T Riders Union have been working on for a long time trying to fight for better service trying to make sure that the T’s fares stay affordable to folks in our community.” And we’re facing a situation now " she added “where the T is imposing fare increases and service cuts; [which] we feel is not fair. The legislature just passed a sales tax increase $160 Million allocated for the T which could go towards stopping fare increases and service cuts this year.” According to various news reports MBTA management is considering raising fares on Charlie Cards as well as on individual trips despite the infusion of money allocated by the legislature as part of a sales tax increase from 5 to 6.25 percent. State Transportation Secretary James Aloisi Jr. who serves as Chair of the MBTA Board as well told board members last month that fares could increase by 15 to 20 percent. He also said “no one especially me takes a decision to raise fares or cut service lightly. “Our decisions will impact people's lives ” Aloisi was quoted as saying by the Boston Globe. Activists are hopeful that if the public raises a united voice against fare hikes and diminished service the MBTA Board will listen. A project sponsored by ACE the T Riders Union has won several significant concessions in recent years. The last time the T Board raised fares in 2007 the organization successfully negotiated free transfers between trains and buses. The MBTA says it will hold monthly public hearings up until September at which time the Board will decide whether or not to increase fares. OMB Audio: Interviews with (and recordings of) ACE Executive Director Kalila Barnett and activists Chris Gonsalves and Aisha O'Bryant. Web Resources: http://www.ace-ej.org/ http://www.ace-ej.org/tru http://www.mbta.com/ Bookmark/Search this post with: Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Reddit Newsvine Facebook Google Yahoo Technorati