New cityLINK will marginalize some
By Letter to the Editor on August 28, 2021.
Editor:
Public transportation increases the availability of a mobile workforce. Anyone who complains that there is no one willing to take the jobs that are available needs to know that the city’s cuts to transit will not help, and it reduces the availability and mobility of the workforce.
With the new cityLINK system, the city has prioritized those who have work-from-home options, and who already have the privilege of driving and parking at work, over those who need public transit for jobs they need to survive, and who have limited mobility options.
This is the way a city marginalizes and isolates an already-vulnerable population, and increases the crime and poverty that benefits wealthy campaign donors who contribute to the political campaigns of those who make cuts like the kind that created cityLINK.
It is the commodification of poverty. If the city and province invested in real anti-poverty measures, the benefits would not be for those who benefit from economic distress and an unhealthy second class of citizens.
Debora Simon
Lethbridge
-1
WHAT?
Not that everyone doesn’t enjoy a good “bash the City” session, but how did you get here? The review of the Transit system (I think) came from the KPMG report to increase efficiencies. And as much fun as “City Bashing” is, when changes are made to eliminate 40 foot busses from driving around the city empty, and in the changes we also get reduced travel times, Demand response zones, quicker time to the College and University and a money savings. I say, let’s see if it works before making a bold statement like some conspiracy has been hatched to benefit those who work from home.
Seriously? you think there was meetings at Lethbridge Transit (who are all Residents of this City, your neighbors), and the topic of those meetings is how to marginalize and isolate already-vulnerable populations to pander to Wealthy campaign donors? Sorry, that’s just nuts.
Real criticisms of the City, I’ll get behind, But not this. When a change is made that not only saves money, but also increases service, let’s at least give it a chance. In the future, if this produces the opposite outcome, I’ll jump on the “city Bashing bandwagon”.