Are local governments creating budget shortfalls on purpose to get federal aid?

[EMNofSeattle]

I know I am a cynic, but sometimes I can't help but wonder,

So I flew back to Seattle from LA yesterday, and to get home I took the Sound Transit train from SeaTac Airport to downtown and then a King County metro bus to a ferry dock and then the ferry.

So when I got on the train there was a sign saying "we've suspended collection of fares"

huh?

Then the metro bus, "we have suspended collection of fares?

huh?

so there is no rational reason to not make people pay the fare.

because if only essential travel is supposed to be allowed then that means essential workers are being paid and can pay their fare. if you're poor you get subsidized monthly passes for the transit. So they don't need to not pay a fare.

So why are the busses and trains now not collecting fares? I think it's to purposefully create bigger budget shortfalls.

 

[swing_voter]

I doubt it.

If they get anything from the fed, it will be a tiny amount of money. Kind of like our $1,200 checks.

 

[adm120]

Well most , like NY and CA , had them , so now they have their hands out, and Ol nancy is ready with our $$$$

 

[Grand Mal]

I know I am a cynic, but sometimes I can't help but wonder,

So I flew back to Seattle from LA yesterday, and to get home I took the Sound Transit train from SeaTac Airport to downtown and then a King County metro bus to a ferry dock and then the ferry.

So when I got on the train there was a sign saying "we've suspended collection of fares"

huh?

Then the metro bus, "we have suspended collection of fares?

huh?

so there is no rational reason to not make people pay the fare.

because if only essential travel is supposed to be allowed then that means essential workers are being paid and can pay their fare. if you're poor you get subsidized monthly passes for the transit. So they don't need to not pay a fare.

So why are the busses and trains now not collecting fares? I think it's to purposefully create bigger budget shortfalls.

Did you get on the bus through the back door where there's no fare box? They were doing that in Vancouver to protect the drivers.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Did you get on the bus through the back door where there's no fare box? They were doing that in Vancouver to protect the drivers.

On the bus yes, but buss passes are now paid with electronic RFID cards and there is a reader at the back doors, but it was shut off

 

[jamesbyoung]

On the bus yes, but buss passes are now paid with electronic RFID cards and there is a reader at the back doors, but it was shut off

Atheist2020 is the spokesperson for socialized medicine? Nope, that quote was by a white country doctor about pregnant black women in Alabama.

 

[Mr Person]

Rich entities and individuals have cheated to get aid. That's what happens when you remove oversight, like Trump did.




The ugliness is the point.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Atheist2020 is the spokesperson for socialized medicine? Nope, that quote was by a white country doctor about pregnant black women in Alabama.

Huh? How is this relevant to the thread?

 

[dex4974]

The ugliness is the point.

You say the same things over and over.

 

[year2late]

I know I am a cynic, but sometimes I can't help but wonder,

So I flew back to Seattle from LA yesterday, and to get home I took the Sound Transit train from SeaTac Airport to downtown and then a King County metro bus to a ferry dock and then the ferry.

So when I got on the train there was a sign saying "we've suspended collection of fares"

huh?

Then the metro bus, "we have suspended collection of fares?

huh?

so there is no rational reason to not make people pay the fare.

because if only essential travel is supposed to be allowed then that means essential workers are being paid and can pay their fare. if you're poor you get subsidized monthly passes for the transit. So they don't need to not pay a fare.

So why are the busses and trains now not collecting fares? I think it's to purposefully create bigger budget shortfalls.

Did you ask?

It has been pretty clear out here. As much as possible,passengers enter from the back doors and fares are suspended to minimize interaction between driver and passengers (what is the transit driver death toll in NYC now? It had been over 40)

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Did you ask?

It has been pretty clear out here. As much as possible,passengers enter from the back doors and fares are suspended to minimize interaction between driver and passengers (what is the transit driver death toll in NYC now? It had been over 40)

you can tap an ORCA card on the rear door

 

[Visbek]

I know I am a cynic, but sometimes I can't help but wonder,

Here we go

So when I got on the train there was a sign saying "we've suspended collection of fares"

huh?

"Huh" yourself.

• Why would a county's choice not to collect fares mean that the state is choosing to... tank its entire budget what?!?

• Public transportation is already heavily subsidized. Meaning Washington State's budget is not going to be destroyed by choosing not to collect fares on a bus.

• They're reducing points of contact, which means you had less of a chance of getting infected. Maybe instead of bashing the county, you should be thanking them for taking a little fiscal pain to keep you safe.

Seriously, dude, you are grasping at straws here. Maybe you should just turn off Fox News for a week or so.

 

[year2late]

you can tap an ORCA card on the rear door

Is that the only method of payment?

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Is that the only method of payment?

They can pass a rule mandating ORCA be the only method of payment. But even cash the busses have machines that takes bills in like the vending machines do.

 

[year2late]

They can pass a rule mandating ORCA be the only method of payment. But even cash the busses have machines that takes bills in like the vending machines do.

By the time they pass a bill this should be over or workarounds will be in place. Sounds like they made a decision based on expediency and probably wanting to prevent lawsuits from all the folks paying when the cash people got in free. Have you thought of asking them why? When the dust settles, don't you think cities and counties will have new contingency plans for a lot of new things.


The bridges around here have stopped taking tolls. But they already had license plate readers in place and will send bills to those who do not have fastrack transponder. They had workarounds in place.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

By the time they pass a bill this should be over or workarounds will be in place. Sounds like they made a decision based on expediency and probably wanting to prevent lawsuits from all the folks paying when the cash people got in free. Have you thought of asking them why? When the dust settles, don't you think cities and counties will have new contingency plans for a lot of new things.


The bridges around here have stopped taking tolls. But they already had license plate readers in place and will send bills to those who do not have fastrack transponder. They had workarounds in place.

See, they are purposefully creating budget shortfalls.

No workaround was needed because the busses already were set up to collect payment without interaction with the driver.

Just like the tolls in the turnpike are completely automated. There is no medical justification for suspending toll payments

 

[year2late]

See, they are purposefully creating budget shortfalls.

No workaround was needed because the busses already were set up to collect payment without interaction with the driver.

Just like the tolls in the turnpike are completely automated. There is no medical justification for suspending toll payments

Did you ask them why, or just create a conspiracy theory?

My guess is that there is some logistical or legal reason why. But then again, if it was my town, I would ask my supervisors or mayor before I went the conspiracy route.