To the editor:

The T is hemorrhaging red ink all over the city’s budget. Its prospects for fiscal year 2008-09 are even bleaker. Increased fuel and maintenance costs alone will increase the trend.

Progress may be moving toward a combined Kansas University/city bus system, but that alone will not stem the flow. Such a merger is projected to cost more for KU and the city. Keeping the current service rate and adding the “living wage” to the equation will only worsen the situation.

Any corporation, having the T as one of its subsidiaries, would take immediate steps to correct this situation and not let the T drag the entire corporation down to bankruptcy. These steps would likely include revenue increases, service reduction, staff reductions and benefit reductions.

Does the T serve a good purpose? Yes, it allows a segment of our population (especially those using the paratransport) the ability to get to and from work and move throughout the community. But is the T the best answer for this group? I’m not so sure. Perhaps the millions that the city sinks into the T could be used more efficiently with taxi vouchers and aiding the groups that already do paratransport.

Contract stipulations may force waiting until next year to enact changes, but that may be too late to save the city from the hard budget decisions that should have been made this year.

Ken Meter,

Lawrence