While most folks were busy hearing a young new president inspire the
nation with "bold action and big ideas," the Madison Common Council
thought small. And punitively. They voted to raise bus fares to $2.00
a ride.
The proceedings were pretty much stage managed and staking out of
ideological positions.
Alder Larry Palm was rumored a swing vote, but when he set one part
of his district against the other, his old Republican self took over:
"I've got one part of my district which is pretty dense and
transit-oriented. Another part hardly has any bus service and doesn't
see why they should be paying for it." He proudly voted for the fare
increase.
Well, at least he had the courage to say something.
Alder Joe Clausius had nothing to say, but voted for the Draconian
increase. He's out there in Outer Ring Republican land, so bus
service is a non-issue for him. Buses just don't work in cul-de-sacs,
after all.
Over 80 people testified. 75 testified against the fare increase.
You've heard all the reasons--social justice, the environment, the
economy, basically, all of the causes we work for, thus setting
Madison apart from, say, Rockford, IL.
But that testimony meant nothing. The minds were made up before the
thing even began. The Outer Ring Republicans did what Republicans
seem to do everywhere: They punished the poor and trashed the
environment.
The ORRs, giddy at their majority, scoffed at the notion that fare
increases might be economically hurtful to the poor. Or that the
middle class, ever the clever bunch, would do a cost-benefit
calculation and just forget about the bus and drive (ok, maybe
assuaging their consciences by carpooling). Presented with strong,
damning evidence that bus fare increases would cause significant
ridership declines, Ald. Mark Clear scoffed that the nationally
recognized models were "myth" and that Ald. Brian Solomon was just
using those models as a "scare tactic." Bobbing up & down next to
Clear, electrified by the prospect of pleasing teacher (yeah, the
competitive brown-nosing of the mayor by those two would be funny
were it not for the serious implications), Ald. Michael Schumacher
denounced those who testified in defense of the poor as "poverty
pimps...stepping on all the poor people." Yup, those bleeding hearts
just hate the poor.
And they were giddy all right. Mark Clear couldn't contain himself at
not having a competitor for his seat, gleefully pointing out that
most of those on the other side of the issue did. He really did a
marvellous job of rubbing eight liberal and progressive noses in it.
It was straight out of Contract on America, 1994, Newt Gingrich, Tom
DeLay & Co., or the Bush-Cheney gang of 9/12/01.
But then, it was alright. The mayor made everyone feel better about
the cruelty of this measure. And somehow he has it all worked out
beautifully that throwing people off of buses can't be helped, that
furthermore, it is the environmentally righteous thing to do. Kinda
like when dad re-assured you that this was going to hurt him a lot
more than it was you.
Folks, while you were out working for Change last fall, the city got
taken over by Republicans. It might be time to start acting locally.
Electorally.
-Mike
P.s. No doubt the mayor is updating his Enemies List. I'll help him
out by thanking those commission members who so bravely spoke out
against this bus fare increase:
Mark Shahan, Chair, Ped/Bike/Motor Vehicle Commission
Betty Chewning, Parks Commissioner
Aaron Crandall, PBMVC
Susan DeVos, PBMVC
Carl DuRocher, Chair, Transit & Parking Comm
Peter Taglia, Sustainable Design & Energy Committee
Margaret Bergamini, Transit & Parking Comm
There may have been others I'm not aware of. In any case, thank you
all for sticking your necks out on this issue. It was very courageous
on your part, putting principle above power.
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