Kucinich Declares Victory for Working Class Voters
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 2:46 pm
Kucinich Declares Victory for Working Class Voters
Under Pressure RTA Agrees to Maintain Service During Election
Washington D.C. (October 6, 2008) -- In response to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) announcement that it would not cut service on November 2, 2008, two days before the national election, Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio) made the following statement:
“I am glad to know that RTA, after being subject to a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation, relented and will not institute service cuts two days before the national election. Unfortunately, it was only after learning that the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary had requested a DOJ investigation of its practices did RTA respond.Â
“I am not satisfied that there was no ill intent on the part of the transit agency to deprive Cuyahoga County voters their ability to get to the polls on Election Day. I am not satisfied with RTA’s slash and burn approach to cutting off service to its riders in the face of its budget shortfalls. I am not satisfied with RTA’s philosophy of threatening and instituting fare increases and service cuts before exploring other options for meeting its budget.Â
“I am satisfied that voters will be able to use RTA to get to and from the polls on Election Day. Therefore, I thank Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers for responding to my request of September 24, and to the DOJ for any work they have done so far in responding to Chairman Conyers’ call.
“Despite the fact that this was done under the pressure of a costly and time-consuming civil rights investigation and potential lawsuit, it is nevertheless a victory for working men and women of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, who may not have otherwise been able to get to the pollsâ€
Under Pressure RTA Agrees to Maintain Service During Election
Washington D.C. (October 6, 2008) -- In response to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) announcement that it would not cut service on November 2, 2008, two days before the national election, Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio) made the following statement:
“I am glad to know that RTA, after being subject to a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation, relented and will not institute service cuts two days before the national election. Unfortunately, it was only after learning that the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary had requested a DOJ investigation of its practices did RTA respond.Â
“I am not satisfied that there was no ill intent on the part of the transit agency to deprive Cuyahoga County voters their ability to get to the polls on Election Day. I am not satisfied with RTA’s slash and burn approach to cutting off service to its riders in the face of its budget shortfalls. I am not satisfied with RTA’s philosophy of threatening and instituting fare increases and service cuts before exploring other options for meeting its budget.Â
“I am satisfied that voters will be able to use RTA to get to and from the polls on Election Day. Therefore, I thank Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers for responding to my request of September 24, and to the DOJ for any work they have done so far in responding to Chairman Conyers’ call.
“Despite the fact that this was done under the pressure of a costly and time-consuming civil rights investigation and potential lawsuit, it is nevertheless a victory for working men and women of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, who may not have otherwise been able to get to the pollsâ€