Senior Citizens’ Bus Fare Hike

Re Van France’s Commentary on the nickel raise in bus rates (“Senior Citizens Shouldn’t Gripe About Nickel Bus Fare Hike,” June 2.)

Apparently from Mr. France’s present positions and past positions, he never was in the lower-income or even the so-called middle-income groups. The senior citizens I know are in rental units and never catch up with inflation at any time.

For example, in 1990 and 1991, I received the so-called COLA, which amounted to approximately $60 a month. Big deal. My rent went up $45 over 1990-91. My HMO, in its greed to get theirs, raised doctors’ fees 40% and also raised its prescription fees 133 1/4%.

I’m sick of reading about how much we senior citizens have and what we can afford. At least we saved our money, have very little debt and are not among the greedy who have cost us our present situation. Our foreign debt is almost a trillion dollars and our national debt over $3 trillion.

Hooray for the great communicator whose policies brought us to our present position. Good morning, America, if you ever wake up.

ELROY E. BARTH, Fullerton