Three Stooges run Intercity Transit

I don’t think government gets it.  I don’t think those agencies which control our lives and tax our money understand that we’re in a recession right now.  One that’s not going to go away anytime soon.

For the life of me, I can’t understand some of these government agencies.  Take Intercity Transit for example.

The Intercity Transit Board just approved its 2010 operating budget that calls for the expenditure of some $41 million dollars to provide a wide range of transit options for the traveling public in parts of Thurston County.

It gets its money from a local sales tax of around one-half cent and that funds most of its operations.  It gets some state and federal grants but sales tax revenue makes up most of its income.

Now the Transit board is thinking about raising the local sales tax to fund future operations.  Thanking about — – hell – they’ve already decided to put a sales tax increase on the ballot, of three-tenths of a percent, to fund future operations.

The transit system says it needs the money to continue current services and increase future services.  Since sales tax revenue is down because of the recession, they need to increase the tax to fund current and future operations.

Now, bear in mind, that Intercity Transit has a reserve fund of $11 million dollars.  There’s nothing wrong with a reserve fund.  I think the managers of the system would be negligent not to have a reserve fund.  But a reserve is supposed to be used when there’s a need.  And, the transit system thinks there’s a need this year.

But it isn’t only the sales tax revenue which is impacting the transit system’s bottom line.  It’s what they pay their employees.

The machinest union, which represents a major portion of the employees, is getting a three and a half percent pay increase this year 2010.

A pay raise?  Are they serious?  A pay raise in a time when people are losing their jobs and those that aren’t losing their jobs are worried about losing their jobs.

That’s the problem with government unions.  They don’t care one whit about the taxpayer.  They can’t see the future any further than the next pay raise.  They don’t care how badly off you are – – as long as their members get their pay increases.

Intercity Transit has decided to go to the voters in this time of  economic chaos and ask for an increase in the local sales tax – – already nearing 10 cents – – so it can give its employees a pay raise.

What short sightedness.  Who’s running Intercity Transit.  Is it the Three Stooges or the Marx Brothers. 

A sales tax increase this year is just laughable.