Two dozen Metro Transit riders braved the cold Monday night to gather at the Monona Terrace for a rally in protest of a proposed bus fare increase.
The increase will raise fares from $1.50 to $2 and is intended to go into effect in March 2009. Barbara Smith, of Madison Area Bus Advocates, led the rally.
We the citizens own the buses, and we're here to celebrate. Buses for the people!"" Smith said.
She said because Madison Metro is a publicly owned bus company, there should be full funding for the public service it provides. Smith argued that the mayor wants to increase fares because diesel fuel and other service costs have gone up, but when the cost of asphalt goes up, car drivers do not pay more.
""The whole community pays through city property tax, and bus riders want the same treatment,"" she said. ""Bus riders are not second-class citizens.""
Smith's words were met with shouts of ""Right on!"" and ""Fare hike is wrong!""
David Koene, a Madison resident, took part in the rally and waved a sign reading, ""Bailout the Bus Riders."" He said people who ride the bus are generally those who cannot afford other transportation.
""To be charging them more at the same time we're bailing out Wall Street is kind of like reverse Robinhoodism - taking from the poor and giving to the rich,"" Koene said.
Another Metro Transit rider, Kristin Kilmark, attended the rally to fight for disabled riders.
""I have a disability. I have autism,"" she said. Many of her friends with disabilities also use the buses daily and cannot speak. ""I speak for those who can't talk,"" she said. ""I can only hope that they listen to me.""
The rally ended with a chant where Smith shouted pro-bus rider phrases and attendees answered with, ""We ride the bus.""
""We make the green choice,"" Smith yelled. ""We help congestion, we don't need parking and we have a small carbon footprint,"" to which attendees responded with, ""We ride the bus, we ride the bus, we ride the bus.
