Job Loss, Traffic Jams, and Heart Ache.

On March 13Th, 2011 the Port Authority of Allegheny County plans to cut 35% more of its service, and layoff 500 plus employees. The pink slips for these employees will be delivered during the holiday season, just in time for Christmas, but rest assured the Pennsylvania Lawmakers and their families get to enjoy another extended holiday vacation, and put Mass Transit, Roads and Bridges on the back burner again.

This Funding Crisis didn't happen overnight. In 2007 Act 44 was signed, creating an Historic Permanent Revenue source for Transit, Roads, and Bridges. The problem was that the main funding source for Act 44 was the tolling of I-80. On April 6Th, 2010 the feds rejected (again) the Tolling of I-80. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10096/1048294-100.stm Our elected officials have sat on their hands for too long now, they put getting re-elected over public interest. Ed Rendell tried in-vain to create another source of revenue, but the self serving Pennsylvania General Assembly once again stood on the sidelines. Republicans sat back and said "NO NEW TAXES"so they could get re-elected, and the weak Democrats sat back and said "WELL, WE REALLY NEED TO RAISE TAXES BUT, I MIGHT NOT GET RE-ELECTED. This attitude needs to be stopped. The riding public should be treated better, a Public Transit 'Bill of Rights" should be enacted to protect their interests from the "do nothing" Pennsylvania Lawmakers who cant seem to stick their necks out to do the right thing.

In March, when these additional cuts are put into effect, there will be traffic jams of ridiculous proportions. There will be zero places to park in the already congested City of Pittsburgh, and the people who use this once great Transit system will be stranded and unemployed. The Poor, and Elderly who rely on this public service will not be able to get to vital services necessary to their lives. The rich will not be able to park their Hummer's and Lexus' and save on gasoline and parking fees, creating another void in our Free Market Economy. (sarcasm) This crisis is real, this is not an Allegheny County issue, it is a State Lawmaker issue. Note to the riding and non- riding public, start calling and e-mailing your State Legislators NOW! If you don't know who they are use this link to find out. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/index.cfm