RTA update

[Jon Eckerle]

The real problem is in the constitution of the State of Ohio. I believe it was in the 50's that the Highway lobby inserted a clause in the constitution that guaranteed that all the fuel tax would go toward the highways. This has guaranteed them many years of construction dollars. Other states like PA, have viewed the issue from the perspective of a transportation system. Thus there is a dramatic difference between funding of transit systems in this state versus other states. All transit infrastructure is subsidized, highways, busses, trains, airports, bikes and yes walking. They each have different funding streams. But only one has a constitutional amendment. Guess why you see seas of orange barrels every summer. The solution is a systems approach. How do we integrate the transportation needs of our residents with our transportation options. Right now the funding streams are driving transportation planning instead of need and efficiency. Yes, in a community that was built up around a trolley based transportation system circulators are very important. Lakewood needs the circulator. The mayor is right to make this an issue with RTA. A solution from RTA based on local political pressure is just a stolen band aid. RTA will just cancel another line and someone else will not get to work. This same problem is happening in every transportation system across the state. Lorain county is looking at large cuts. (In answer to a question RTA does not go into Lorain County. Lorain County Transit cut their service to Cuyahoga County. )

If we are going to solve this problem then we are going to develop a funding system that is on par with other states and cities of comparable size. It needs to be a system based on the premise that we consider all forms of transportation and true costs over time. We need to build a system that is based on meeting individual and community needs, not particular funding streams. An efficient multimodal transportation system is worth fighting for. I am suggesting that the real solution is in Columbus.

Perhaps we should be joining with every transportation system in the state, organize the passengers, the handicapped groups, the bike people, the train people and the local goverments to change the constitution from highway specific funding to a dedicated "transportation," funding stream. Fix the system, it is broken.

[Ed FitzGerald]

True to our word, the City of Lakewood filed a mandamus action in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to demand that RTA fully comply with our public records request.

On Wednesday, we had a hearing before Judge John D. Sutula. We informed the judge that we believe that RTA has been slow to respond to our requests, that their repsonse did not fulfill the letter or spirit of Ohio Public Records law, and that the approaching September 20 elimination of the circulator service made this an emergency situation.

The judge ordered both sides to reconvene this Friday. In the meantime, RTA has turned over more documents, which we are in the process of reviewing.

We were happy with the results of our court date. Judge Sutula understands how time-sensitive this matter really is. We may be filing additional public records requests, and I think it was important to send a clear message for this case and for the future.