To the editor:

The reason that we need to vote for a slight increase in our city sales tax to support the T is that there is no money allotted for our bus system in the 2009 city budget. There will be two questions on the ballot on Nov. 4 pertaining to transit, numbers 2 and 3. For every $100 spent in Lawrence, 20 cents would go for operation of the T and 5 cents for maintenance, for a total of 25 cents. Without this small amount our bus system will pass out of existence, as will the para-transit system for disabled persons.

No one expects public transportation to be self-supporting, especially a starter style one such as ours. So if we lose it, we will also lose the federal and state funding that we now have, as well as the potential of expanding into a more comprehensive plan and the possibility of combining with KU on Wheels.

It will be much more expensive and difficult to start over again in a few years as people cut back on the use of cars and the emission of carbons. Let’s keep what we have and Vote Yes for Transit!

Sarah Casad,
Lawrence