by, R. Daniel Lavelle

Greetings,

As you are aware, due to the financial state of our economy there have been numerous service cuts to the Port Authority of Allegheny County which have drastically impacted the quality of life for many in the City of Pittsburgh.  Although the service cuts that have happened so far have drastically impacted many in the City of Pittsburgh, Port Authority is facing a $64 million deficit in its operation budget for the coming fiscal year, starting July 1, 2012.  With this enormous deficit amount, there will be more service reductions and fare increases that will help to close this deficit.  

I understand that these increased cuts will have a major impact on your daily lives, therefore it is imperative for you to voice your thoughts during the public comment period between February 5, 2012 through March 9, 201, you must visit the Port Authority website and click on the Proposed Service Cuts link.  Please call 412-566-5437 between 9:00 am to 3:30 pm on weekdays to register for testimony at the public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 29, 2012 from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.  You should also know that when the Port Authority of Allegheny County instituted their 15% cut last March, many riders still had transit options.  This time around, with the elimination of 45% o f the remaining routes, transit options for most our riders will be virtually non-existent.  Again, I encourage you to attend the public hearing on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and express how these proposed cuts will affect you and your livelihood.  You should contact Governor Corbett's Office at 717-787-2500 or 412-565-5700, as well as your elected State and County representatives to express your concerns about this major issue.  

Regards,

R. Daniel Lavelle