Ferraro Wants Hearings on Bus Fare
Councilman John Ferraro, campaigning for mayor, called Monday for the Southern California Rapid Transit District to hold several public hearings to discuss its plan to raise the basic bus fare from 50 cents to 75 cents.
“What we have here is probably the most important RTD decisionmaking process in three years,” Ferraro said at a press conference in front of the RTD’s main office downtown.
Noting that the district has scheduled a daylong public hearing Saturday at its downtown headquarters on the fare increase proposal, Ferraro said it would be better if there were at least five hearings held throughout the city.
RTD President Nikolas Patsaouras said the board will consider Ferraro’s proposal.
The 50-cent basic bus fare is to end July 1, when revenues from a half-cent sales tax, approved by the voters in 1980, are mandated for use on rail projects, including the proposed Metro Rail subway.
Ferraro, an opponent of Metro Rail, a project favored by Mayor Tom Bradley, said he wants the sales tax subsidy to be used to keep fares at 50 cents, not to finance Metro Rail.
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