COMMUTERS ARE WINNERS--- AND LOSERS

UNDER BUDGET APPROVED BY CT LEGISLATURE

(Darien CT - 5 June 1999): "Rail commuters in Connecticut spoke, and Hartford listened." says Jim Cameron, Vice Chmn. of the CT Rail Commuter Council. "Our efforts over the past months to stop CDOT's planned 5% fare increase have paid off."

The CT Rail Commuter Council opposed the fare increase--- the third in as many years --- because fares in CT are already the highest in the nation and any further increase would only discourage ridership. But the Council also called on riders to voice their discontent to the CT Legislature with the way rail service is funded and to force Hartford to find a long-term solution to the problem.

"In that effort, we lost," says Cameron, a commuter from Darien. "While lawmakers did 'find' $8+ million to forestall the fare increase for two years, they did not tackle the larger problem of how CDOT is funded. Our fates and fares are still tied to the Special Transportation Fund which is financed by the unpopular gasoline tax."

"The Legislature has applied a bandage, but the cancer is still growing. CDOT's need for money only increases as they need to replace aging rail cars, caternary and tracks. I fear that service on Metro-North and Shore Line East will get a lot worse before it gets any better," said Cameron.

In his testimony at public hearings on the fare increase Cameron also vowed to have the Council review CDOT's operating agreement with MTA. "These annual fare increases are really tied to that contract, which we feel needs to be re-worked. Maybe it's time to have Connecticut operate the train service itself, just as New Jersey and other states do."

Cameron commended the hundreds of commuters who took time to contact their lawmakers by e-mail from the Council's website, those who showed up at public hearings, and others who submitted written testimony. "The thoughtful, reasoned comments of those riders--- their constituents--- was heard, loud and clear by lawmakers in Hartford," Cameron said.