Cap Metro Attempts to Roll Over STS Passengers

Howdy Comrades!

Events in Austin have moved rapidly since my last post about Cap Metro's power play to crush the opinions of Access members in order to implement a bare bones Para-transit service for the Austin area.  Inez Evans sparked the controversy last month when she made a rare appearance at the Access STS Subcommittee meeting.  Ignoring the opinions and needs of STS passengers, she presented a plan that will eliminate the very successful taxi voucher program, a program many depend upon to get to and from work, return from dialysis treatments, the pharmacy and other trips that require flexible return times.  As a consequence, the Texas Civil Rights project filed a lawsuit in State Court and obtained a temporary restraining order because Metro had skipped the required public hearings before such draconian changes could be made.  Metro appealed the judge's decision to federal court.  A federal judge set a hearing for mid May.  Meantime, Metro staff paid about $27,000.00 to the Texas Citizen's Fund to conduct so-called focus group meetings, attempting to bill them as public hearings.  When it became clear to staff that this idea would not fly, a public hearing. was scheduled for April 15.  Following is email sent to the Access Google group about this hearing.

 

Friends of Access,

I agree with Judy that this hearing seems to once again shut out input from

Access.  It is ironic, to say the least, that the hearing is scheduled for

4/15, the deadline for filing federal income tax returns.  I also agree with

ADAPT that the "devil is in the details."  The problem Access has

encountered has been in getting accurate details from staff.  At this point,

we must take any facts and figures given to us by staff with a grain of

salt.  Hand me a salt shaker, already!  We do know that Cap Metro has spent

a phenomenal sum by purchasing the most technically advanced train from

Europe for the rather limited commuter rail project.  We also know that Cap

Metro provides personal limousines for sighted drivers who carpool where

buses aren't available.  I believe the charge is just 25 bucks a month for

that service.  The editorial in the Statesman says that Cap metro must

constrain compassion with frugality in funding the special Transit Program.

I really can't fathom how anyone can use the terms "Cap Metro" and

"frugality" in the same sentence without laughing out loud.  The disability

community has a right to demand a Special Transit service that is second to

none based on what Metro is willing to spend on its pet projects.  I won't

be available on Saturday because I am a delegate to the Travis county

Democratic Convention.  I will, however, keep in touch.  Finally, I want to

express my profound sadness for the death of John Slatin, a gifted poet and

role model for many blind people.

Regards,

Malcolm Graham

Access Member

Chair, ATC/NFB Transportation Committee

----- Original Message -----

From: "Judy W" <

judyw@austin.rr.com>

To: "

Metroaccess@Googlegroups

. Com" <

metroaccess@googlegroups.com>

Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 6:53 AM

Subject: board hearing at Criss cole

 

> 

> 

> Nancy Crowther confirmed the room at Criss Cole according to staff to co

> host the meeting with the Mayor's committee. Why do some staff and board

> members wonder why there is a lack of trust in some Metro staff. Tina Bui

> of

> governmental relations called me to discuss this matter and I let her know

> that if the access committee was bypassed once again I couldn't be

> responsible for committee responses or resolutions. I think Malcolm was

> considering dealing with our laiaison problem in some way, but he can

> speak

> for himself. The board hasn't even decided when or if all of them can come

> to the public hearing on April 15. Again, this was not Ron's fault. He was

> approached by Nancy Crowther. These are the facts as I have obtained them

> from the Mayor's committee, Criss Cole, and metro staff.

> 

> Please call all friends and political organizations to have people at the

> board meeting. I will be unavailable on Saturday and Sunday. I have a

> funeral on

> Sunday. John Slatin, a champion of access, passed away this week.

> 

> Judy

--I apologize that I failed to take the time to reformat the email, but I am under very tight deadlines with respect to other matters.  Stay tuned to the Little Red Book for Future updates on this exploding issue.

Regards,

Chairman Mal

Power to the Peeps!