Asked my politician for help.
I put together, from conversations I've had here a great list
that summarizes and concretizes some of my thoughts
on my situation:
Here's what I think about:
In March Chemung County was awarded "$460,000 to Purchase 1 40ft. Bus
and Scheduling Software from funding for 191 new Recovery Act transit
projects in 42 states and Puerto Rico that will help transform the
nation's infrastructure and support thousands of jobs across the
country."
WETM-TV announced that Chemung was just awarded another million
dollars for transportation."Elmira, N.Y. - Chemung County was has
been notified by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) that they
will receive up to $ 1.1 million in FTA funding to rehabilitate the
bus garage, purchase fare collection equipment and replace buses for
the Chemung County Transit System.
The County will utilize $500,000 of the funds to rehabilitate parts
of its maintenance facility and to replace its fare collection
system. Many components of the facility, such as bus lifts,
electrical wiring and lighting, and overhead doors, will be replaced.
The County is also proposing to replace its fare collection
equipment. The current equipment dates back to 1998 and does not
have the ability to sell tickets or count fares. The system will be
upgraded to a read/write swipe card system. In a second project, the
County use $600,000 to replace old buses and a supervisory vehicle.
Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli stated, "In a recent survey,
four out of every ten bus passengers said they use our system to get
to and from work. They rely on the bus system to keep their jobs.
Our grant application spoke to our residents' needs. Chemung County
was one out of only six systems statewide to receive this
discretionary funding."
Yet we have no transportation of our own in Corning and no paratransit.
Why doesn't Steuben County have anyone of vision like Tom Santulli?
Why are we so bereft?
Chemung County has been contracted to provide transportation for
Steuben County and Corning
Paratransit Vehicle costs:
<http://www.getanybus.com/>http://www.getanybus.com/
for instance
fully reconditioned wheelchair shuttle bus $22,500 2004
It's ironic that there's no paratransit here, yet a successful manufacturer
of paratransit buses operates in Penn Yann!
<http://www.coachandequipment.com/>http://www.coachandequipment.com/
http://www.coachandequipment.com/metro-lite.htm
1. 20.5% of Steuben County is disabled
2. There is no viable public transportation in my county.
3. There is no paratransit in my county.
4.
<http://www.disabledinaction.org/census_stats.html>http://www.disabledinaction.org/census_stats.html
18% of America is disabled
5. Medicaid has enabled many to profit and set artificially high
prices for services that those who are neither wealthy nor
desperately poor can afford (eg $50/hour for a home aide in an area
where the median household income is$35, 479 and per capita $18,197
so who can afford help?!!)
7. The four story multicity block clinic has NOT ONE accessible
examination table. Guthrie's Board of Directors has ignored my
letters.
8. The ramp to the front of my house, put in by so called experts,
does not meet ADA standards and is too steep for me to navigate
alone, so I can't use my front entrance anymore -- unless assisted.
The BBB did nothing about or to the vendor.
9. My congressman quit, but neither he, my mayor, my county
officials, the State DOT, nor my city council has responded to any of
my concerns or pleas for transportation.
11. Steuben County has one of the Highest suicide rates in the state
12.3 (Queens has 6.4, Manhattan 8.4, Chemung, next door with an
"urban" population is 9.8) NY has the third lowest suicide rate in
the nation
12. My complaints and concerns seem to be the first time anyone has
heard anything about anything if the responders are to be believed.
Because of my concerns there is now allegedly training for public bus
drivers and tie downs on the few/rare public buses. I don't know as i
will never risk my life on them again.
13. I was denied handicapped parking in front of the house that i own
and pay taxes on. The city installed
too-steep-for-me-to-use-unassisted curb cuts. Kids seem to enjoy
using these ramps as do young mothers pushing baby strollers.
14. You can get drugs, alcohol and pizza delivered to your home in
Corning. You cannot get fruit, vegetables, milk, or other groceries
delivered. I pay half again the cost of my groceries to have someone
shop for me.
15. There are no local delivery services-- this extends beyond
groceries, there is no way to have anything else delivered locally.
16. People who know me me and of my situation have created places
that i cannot access. I was invited to perform in a public space
that was inaccessible -- no ramps, no ground level entry. The new
art gallery is on the second floor of a building without an elevator.
17. The local yarn store is new, opened on the second floor of a
building without an elevator
18. The ramp to the AIM building is too steep for me to navigate unassisted.
.
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