Comments

1
Once again "occupy" proves its utter cluelessness.
2
Because, Hart Noecker, if it was actually "successful" they wouldn't be hiking fares and making cuts.
3
Some good ideas here, especially cutting the salaries of the highly paid executives. Why should employees and riders always be the ones to suffer from the budget shortfalls? If they're having such a hard time scraping by right now, they should make some cuts to salaries in the $150k - $250k per year range. It wouldn't make a big dent in the budget shortfall but it should definitely be part of the solution.
4
Of course "discontinue incredibly expensive light rail projects" doesn't make the cut.

Not that they're really solutions, but 1 is a good idea, 4 is okay, though it won't change anything, 2 already kind of happens and 3 is a pipe dream.

Anyone else get the feeling that Occupy has become something akin to a protest mob for hire?
5
Reducing salaries would definitely solve the problem of having too many experienced and skilled employees.

Across-the-board cuts mean you're generally left with the shiftless layabouts, while your more talented and marketable employees move on to greener pastures. Trimet is already in their -fourth- year of a pay freeze; so while it's tempting to go after some nebulous middle-management inefficiencies, the reality of it is that it would likely make the organization worse off for the changes.
6
This might be the first thing Occupy has done that I don't hate! They've got a specific problem they're trying to solve, they've got specific solutions that they are suggesting for that problem, and they aren't blocking anyone from getting to work. This! More of this!
7
Why does trimet have a fleet of cars? Shouldn't they be able to get around by bus?
8
@1 - Please enlighten us as to why you're stating they are "clueless" on this.

@2 - Please state what you would define as "success" in the case of this public transit situation.

Respectfully requesting you both drop a steaming pile of opinion here so we all have a better idea of where you're coming from with your point of view.
9
@4 which light rail projects do you think should be discontinued? The Portland-Milwaukie one, the funds for which are already committed and whose construction began last year (with TriMet's budget making up practically none of these construction costs)?
10
"which light rail projects do you think should be discontinued? The Portland-Milwaukie one, the funds for which are already committed and whose construction began last year"

That would be a start. And you still have to pay to operate and upkeep said line, something that is foolish when you're already cutting service. (I'd also argue that money could have been used elsewhere, since Occupy wants Trimet to beg the fed, but that'll just open up a "different colors of money" argument that I have no interest in rehashing).

I know you/people love the idea of lightrail, and in some situations, I do too, but basic services should be the priority. Currently, that's not the case.
11
i was on several busses today and did not receive one of those nifty fliers

son i am disappoint
12
@ 10, agree and there really is not a concrete need for that line (there is plenty of bus service), not to mention the fact it is going to jack up traffic on MLK which is bad enough already. Sadly some people here have the attitude " I want everything for free! For Me!" Probably only children.
13
Sorry we didn't find you, Scrum. We had 6 or 7 street teams handing out over 1,000 flyers. The great thing about living in a place like Portland is that everybody has their own good ideas about how to shape transit policy. We tried to suggest four simple solutions that we and several other non-Occupy groups agreed upon. Thanks to everyone for their feedback, whether positive or critical. We all benefit from transit whether we ride or not, and hopefully A4 was just the beginning of a new chapter in Portland's history of public transit activism.

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