METRO FULL BOARD MEETING
Thursday, May 27th at 11 AM
Item 45 // MOTION to IMPLEMENT the Fareless System Initiative(CONCERNS)
Item 46 // MOTION to POSTPONE the Fareless System Initiative(CONCERNS)
THANK YOU FOR ADDING YOUR EFFORTS TO THE FIGHT FOR FARE-FREE TRANSIT! OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM MUST SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD!
Below is all the information you need to TAKE ACTION by phone, email, and live public comment.
TAKE ACTION:
- EMAIL WRITTEN COMMENTS BY 5PM WEDNESDAY 5/19- Please include the Item # in your comment. Email: goinsc@metro.net
- CALL BOARD MEMBERS’ OFFICES; Contact info and scripts are below. You can use our sample call script and change it to fit your voice.
- LIVE PUBLIC COMMENT; you may join the call 5 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. For English, dial: +1-888-251-2949,,8231160# — and for Spanish, dial: +1-888-251-2949,,4544724# — then wait a few moments to be placed into the general lobby. When the comment period opens, press #2 to raise your hand.
CALL SCRIPT
Hi, my name is [Your Name] and I’m contacting your office to appeal for extended fare-free transit. Working-class people have depended on fareless transit for the majority of the pandemic. Los Angeles needs fare-free transit now to recover. I urge the board member to support the following:
- Keep Metro buses free for all riders until a pilot program is launched
- Pass a pilot program with no income verification or easier income verification tools like self-certification
- And, direct Metro staff to report back on a strategy to reach universal fareless transit by the mid-year budget adjustment in the fall
Thank you
BOARD MEMBERS’ CONTACT INFO
LA County Supervisor – Hilda Solis: (213) 974-4111
Email: firstdistrict@bos.lacounty.gov
LA County Supervisor – Holly Mitchell: (213) 974-2222
Email: HollyJMitchell@bos.lacounty.gov
LA County Supervisor – Sheila Kuehl: (213) 974-3333
Email: sheila@bos.lacounty.gov
LA County Supervisor – Janice Hahn: (213) 974-4444
Email: fourthdistrict@bos.lacounty.gov
LA County Supervisor – Kathryn Barger: (213) 974-5555
Email: kathryn@bos.lacounty.gov
LA Mayor – Eric Garcetti: (213) 978-0600
Email: mayor.garcetti@lacity.org
LA Councilmember – Mike Bonin; 213-444-3508
Email: mike.bonin@lacity.org
LA Councilmember – Paul Krekorian; (213) 473-7002
Email: councilmember.krekorian@lacity.org
Pomona Mayor – Tim Sandoval; (909) 762-1982
Email: tim_sandoval@ci.pomona.ca.us
Whittier Councilmember – Fernando Dutra
Email: fdutra@cityofwhittier.org
Glendale Councilmember – Ara Najarian: (818) 548-4844
Email: anajarian@glendaleca.gov
Inglewood Mayor – James Butts; 310-412-5300
Email: Mayor@CityofInglewood.org
SAMPLE PUBLIC COMMENT
Hi, my name is __________. Metro’s ridership numbers have not dipped as much as other transit agencies over the last year. Amid a devastating pandemic where physical distance could mean survival, LA’s public transit ridership numbers over the last year are only one indication that most of Metro’s transit riders completely depend on Metro for transportation. For this reason, Metro riders need Metro, now more than ever, to run a fully fareless transit system for a just recovery.
- Pre-COVID, 8 in 10 Metro riders earned under $50,000 per year. That stat has likely dipped even further due to continued job loss, smaller paychecks, and added expenses from this pandemic.
- These expenses are in addition to paying regressive sales taxes that place an outsized, heavy toll on Metro’s mostly low-income riders and fund the majority of Metro’s budget.
- It is fair and it is time.
Metro needs to implement an accessible pilot program and show a true commitment to fully fareless transit so riders can simply ride Metro and access the transportation they need to recover from this pandemic. Thank you.
