The Washington Post’s “Regional Briefing” page today notes that:
The Metro transit authority plans to hold an information session on its proposed budget from 7 to 9 p.m. today at its headquarters in downtown Washington.
Metro board members and senior managers will answer questions and listen to concerns. The information session, at the Metro Board Room, 600 Fifth St. NW, will be preceded by an open house at 6:30 p.m.
Metro asks that people who want to speak at the session sign up by e-mail at public-hearing-testimony@wmata.com or by sending a fax to 202-962-1133 by 2 p.m. today. Speakers should submit a written copy of their comments at the session.
Speakers may also register during the session, but speakers who register in advance will be given the opportunity to comment first.
We urge riders who can make it there to attend. Given WMATA’s insistance that its decimation of the MetroAccess service is based on financial goals, it should be interesting to hear their rationale behind the moves.
It’s interesting to note that very few MetroAccess riders are likely to actually be able to attend, given the amount of notice of this meeting. We are unable to find it noted on WMATA’s website’s news at all, although if you drill down through WMATA’s non-accessible web site to the Board Calendar you can eventually find it. Since we don’t have same day booking and trip ability on MetroAccess, the Board is likely to have a quiet meeting for once.
Convienient.
BootNote:
Given WMATA’s repeated attempts to justify the changes being made to MetroAccess provisioning as being based on budgetary considerations, DC ParaTransit Info believes that the ridership has the right to demand answers as to what those budgetary considerations are, and the entire budget process involved. The money that is being used is, in part, being paid for by our taxes, after all - we should have the ability to demand answers from Metro as to how they intend to use it.
In light of this, DC ParaTransit Info attempted to contact Mr Christian Kent, the Director of MetroAccess. Since the practical public notice of this meeting was effectively zero until the Post article today, we wondered if MetroAccess would be willing to temporarily handle requests for trips from riders who wished to attend this meeting to put their questions to the board.
Regrettably, no response was forthcoming by 2pm, at which time submitting requests to speak at the meeting was to be closed.
Categories: In The Media , Press Releases , WMATA | Tags: | By: .
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