There has been significant media attention given in recent months to the salaries and benefits that government workers receive. Too often, the focus shifts to an unwarranted judgment on the worth of public employees. I am honored and privileged to serve the people of Orange County and I am surrounded on a daily basis by 1,600 other OCTA employees who feel very much the same way.
On the verge of receiving ARRA funding, many agencies were either left scrambling to stretch funds using ‘creative financing’ or playing it more conservatively. A new report calls for increased fed funding to help circumvent money woes should the economy, financial downturns worsen or occur again.
Besides nation's unemployment rate, other factors contributing to the ridership decline are service cuts and fare increases. Meanwhile, demand response (paratransit) services grow.
Slow sales expected to pick up with economy.
Layoffs, salary freezes and other cutbacks have battered morale at many transit systems. Open communication and investment in workforce development are key to keeping staff engaged and focused on the future.
GCRTA has already reduced salaried positions by 5 percent, frozen wages for all salaried employees, instituted a partial hiring freeze, restricted travel, received supplemental funding from the NOACA and reduced overtime.
If agency's other unions, representing everyone from bus drivers to transit police, make a similar concession, it stands to save about $17.3 million in the FY 2010 budget, according to authority officials.
Impacts include making operations leaner; delaying bus purchases; and transportation fees aren't keeping up with costs.
Washington Post reports that the final amount of spending for highway, bridge and rail construction projects may be $49.6 billion, which is higher than what was originally proposed by both the House and Senate.
media brand
The secure and easy all-access connection to your content.
Bookmarked content can then be accessed anytime on all of your logged in devices!
Already a member? Log In
