RTA To Cut 30 Bus Routes, Help Riders Get To Polls (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio)

NewsNet5.com ^ | 10-02-08 | NewsNet5

[GOP_Lady]

RTA To Cut 30 Bus Routes, Help Riders Get To Polls

POSTED: 7:42 pm EDT October 1, 2008 UPDATED: 11:49 am EDT October 2, 2008

CLEVELAND -- The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is cutting 30 bus routes.

The cuts will start Nov. 2, which is two days before the presidential election. Congressmen are calling on the U.S. Justice Department to investigate RTA, saying the cuts will undermine a fair election.

Riders are fuming about trying to find a ride to the polls. U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich agrees.

"People have a right to vote," Kucinich said. "Their right to vote should not be compromised by RTA or anyone else."

At Kucinich's urging, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, who heads the House Judiciary Committee, wrote a strongly worded letter to the U.S. attorney general. He requested the Department of Justice investigate whether Cleveland's RTA cuts constitute an act of voter suppression. He also wants to know whether the change violates the Voting Rights Act.

RTA released a statement Thursday from CEO and General Manager Joe Calabrese:

"We know that many key races in this year's election will be extremely close, and every vote counts. We want to make sure that RTA's service changes, which take effect Nov. 2, do not affect anyone's access to the election.

"RTA's new service plan was designed to impact only a very small percentage of the 200,000 customers who ride RTA daily. A concern has been voiced, however, that these changes may impact some customers and their ability to get to voting locations on Election Day, Nov. 4.

"Although RTA believes that this is only a remote possibility, and, along with the Board of Elections, suggests that as many individuals as possible vote in advance, RTA makes the following offer:

"If you are concerned about how service cuts will affect you on Election Day, call us and we will help you plan your trip. If you cannot get to the polls because of the service cuts, we will get you a ride."

Riders should call 216-566-5219 by Oct. 31 to make arrangements.

[GOP_Lady]

Video at the link

[GOP_Lady]

Northeast Ohio PING, please! :-)

[henkster]

Most urban poling places are within a half mile of the voters residences. Easy walking distance. The RTA cutback is only an issue if the voters are going to other precincts far way. Several other precincts.

[ninergold3]

I’m guessing that the voters affected are REP? Otherwise, they would be adding routes to get people to the polls.

[GOP_Lady]

The General Manager was forced into saying:

"'If you are concerned about how service cuts will affect you on Election Day, call us and we will help you plan your trip. If you cannot get to the polls because of the service cuts, we will get you a ride.'"

At what expense though? All one has to do is call their local rat headquarters to get a ride to the polls. I read this article to a dem lady and she asked, "Could you put that in lay-person's terms?"

[Scarpetta]

You said it. They either want to vote in several precincts or are too lazy to walk the half mile.

[Beeman]

Ohio has early voting, which starts today. If you need public transportation, do it now.

[zwerni]

yes - people have a right to vote but it doesn’t mean we have to drive them there!! What’s next - are we going to have to supply free meals to keep them nourished on each election day??

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I pulled up next to an RTA bus yesterday. Corner of Canal and Rockside. Only person on the bus was the driver. RTA is a rathole that we pour money down!

[freekitty]

That’s right. Let’s get the do nothins to the poll while the real people that work have to find a way home from work.

[GOP_Lady]

SUPER JOE PING! :-)

[patj]

At Kucinich's urging, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, who heads the House Judiciary Committee, wrote a strongly worded letter to the U.S. attorney general. He requested the Department of Justice investigate whether Cleveland's RTA cuts constitute an act of voter suppression. He also wants to know whether the change violates the Voting Rights Act.

Boy, they can swing into action at the least little thing that affects them, but nothing doing on poll watchers or reg/vote immediately.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Ohio Ping!

To be added to the Ohio Ping List, please freepmail (works best)
both TonyRo76 and LasVegasDave.

[snippy_about_it]

OMG, this man controls even the busses in Cleveland. They are going to steal this election from us!

[kc8ukw]

"People have a right to vote," Kucinich said. "Their right to vote should not be compromised by RTA or anyone else."

Just listen to that reasoning. People have a right to vote - therefore the government must help you exercise that right? Many of us would argue that people have a right to own property - will the government buy me a farm, then?

[combat_boots]

Route information for RTA changes: http://www.gcrta.org/nu_ridersalerts_list.asp?listingid=1133

[Gay State Conservative]

"People have a right to vote," Kucinich said. "Their right to vote should not be compromised by RTA or anyone else."

So just what other rights has the RTA denied to these folks,Comrade Kucinich? Will they no longer be able to make it to the liquor store....the lottery sales agent....the pool hall....the welfare office...the local crack/meth dealer?

No,I didn't think so.

[Dacula]

And we stand to lose everything because a waste of choice of a candidate wants to be nice.

Why do the women in the Republican party have more between their legs than the men (excuse me)?

I have to go off and buy my copy of Socialism 101

[RetiredArmy]

They are going to steal this election from us!

That is what this election is about. What Obama and the Marxists cannot win, they will steal. That is the very reason that I don't think McCain has a snow balls chance in hell of winning. He doesn't have a chance in that voter fraud will bury him. The Marxists are going to win, and then with the control of the congress, you can kiss the United States of America as founded, GOOD FREAKING BYE. It is gone. We will become the Socialists States of Amerika. We will all sing to the Dear Leader, the Chosen One.

Sadly, 232 years of freedom will come crashing down.