I Hate Canton planned to post from Ohio's Heart of Darkness, but between fighting off thugs and developing cultural critique, there was just no time. We have returned from our brief sojourn to the jungle and expect to catch up, or at least pick up where we left off.Village Idiots v SARTA riders
SARTA Forced to Raise Fares, Lay-off Drivers, Cut Service
I Hate Canton is surprised (if that is the correct word) at the hatred SARTA riders engender in the anti-tax crowd. Having spent 25 years using the old Canton City Lines/RTA, we feel your pain to an extent. Buses back then were full of noisy high school students (including ourself) and wrinkly old babbas dressed in black dresses and witch shoes, pounding their canes and babbling away in Greek, Italian and Yiddish. These undoubtedly illegal alien grannies of an earlier generation should have been thrown into camps for not learning to speak the Queens's English and refusing to shop the Hattie Carnegie line at Stern & Mann's. Instead, these sleeper socialists were allowed to ride the bus on the cheap and formulate SARTA socialism for a future generation of layabouts.And don't remind us of the bus drivers. I Hate Canton had one RTA driver on the South Market route who whiled away his boredom starring in his mirror and up the dresses of female passengers. (He bragged his hobby to us, though we already suspected it). Around 1974 we had a cute blond early- morning Country Fair-area driver who informed us he liked to drop acid before starting his day's sojourn through the streets of Can-town. We liked to believe that wasn't true, but his driving, while adequate, didn't lie. To this day, when we take a bus, we fortify ourselves with a couple quick hits of Wild Irish Rose before heading out the door, and hope for the best.
Nothing has prepared us, however, for comments posted the last few days after SARTA announced major layoffs and route cutbacks. Not only did Reppies exhibit jumpin' joy over tax leeches (union bus drivers, mechanics) losing their jobs, but took particular enjoyment that SARTA riders might now be forced to live like car-driving, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens, instead of the entitlement tax cheats they are.
Until we read these comments we had no idea that public transportation is welfare. We had no idea that we personally are tax chislers, welfare queens, and entitlement whores. We had no idea that bus riders were spendthrifts and that the old and feeble who need to get someplace were poor money managers, bad social planners, and a drain on taxpaying society. We had no idea that buses aren't a normal mode of travel. Having spent an inordinate amount of time in large American and European cities with buses, and trams, and subways, and trains that the majority of people--even the "rich"--use to get around, we can only guess that none of our Reppies have ever left the confines of Canton, Ohio."Unfortunately," some of the worst Reppie comments have been removed, including our favorite, the one that referred to SARTA riders as "shoplifters." That lack, however, will not stop us from dedicating today's Village Idiot Award to those anonymous Reppies who rank public transportation up there with Lenin's First 5-Year Plan. Current comments appear below in general "subject" order rather than chronologically.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NOT NEEDED: I DON'T USE IT
past7971
Sorry public-transit fans, but SARTA has been a financial waste of tax dollars since it began. As for checking any national public transportation website for facts--Please be serious. I really get a kick out of these 'cost-savings' they promote. What do they base their cost to drive personal cars on--a brand new Lexus or Escalade??? I have a very dependable S10 pickup that gets 30 mpg i paid $500 for years ago. It costs tax-payers millions so people can ride this wasteful 'service' for $1.50 !!! How about this, raise the fare to $5.00 to help cover these expenses. As I've heard the levy supporters say---thats just the cost of a pack of cigarettes, a Starbucks coffee or a McDonalds lunch. If you cant afford that, you obviously cant afford to go to the mall anyways."
CJ74U2NVTo the poster that said it only costs $1.50 to ride the bus....YOU ARE WRONG. You might only put $1.50 in the fare box, but my tax dollars are putting in the rest it costs to shuttle your rear end around the county. If I could get MY fare money back that I don't even use, I could reduce my auto costs significantly.
For what it's worth, I ride my bike to work. It costs you AND me nothing.
For what it's worth, I ride my bike to work. It costs you AND me nothing.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NOT NEEDED: DON'T WORK IF YOU DON'T OWN A CAR
CJ74U2NV
Why in the world would you take a job that is driving distance when you don't have a car to drive? This is Stark County, not Fulton County Georgia (that's Atlanta for the geographically challenged here) where buses and trains are full during rush hours and on weekends. I've never seen a SARTA bus half full let alone completely full. If it were run like a private business it would close, but since it's government, they just keep wasting money so some politicians can say they have a nice public transportation system like the big cities do."If Stark County actually had a real need for this service then it would be self sufficient. The problem is the people that believe in the 'entitlement state'.
SARTA AND SARTA RIDERS = POOR FINANCIAL PLANNERS UNLIKE ME
SARTA = TAX CHISLERSzedsdeadbaybee
Justiav: We are ALREADY 'helping' by giving SARTA MILLIONS in our tax dollars.
If its not enough, I'm sorry, but they need to LIVE WITHIN THEIR MEANS LIKE THE REST OF US!
If its not enough, I'm sorry, but they need to LIVE WITHIN THEIR MEANS LIKE THE REST OF US!
rincanton
Shut it down. If SARTA can't stand on its own 4 wheels, it must be because they burn a whole lot of fuel driving empty buses around. Government waste at its best.Wonder how many of those employees are union.
Clarence Beeks
More government subsidized WASTE. Ironically, the majority of SARTA riders don't pay taxes so of course they want to keep the service around at all costs.
I mean really, cuts to a program??
Perish the thought yea of little job and less future , we the tax payer will be burdened very soon so you dont have to be.
ohiodude
Bummer, what are all those invisible people going to do? Nearly every bus I see is 95% empty and that is that......NO MORE TAXES !!!
SARTA IS OPERATED BY THIEVES
PUBLIC TRANSPORATION = SOCIALISM AND ENDANGERS AMERICAN FREEDOM
csdunson
dsteelman1
I am simply amazed the people at Sarta arent protesting in the streets rioting that we havent passed an emergency 10% sales tax for them.
I am simply amazed the people at Sarta arent protesting in the streets rioting that we havent passed an emergency 10% sales tax for them.
I mean really, cuts to a program??
Perish the thought yea of little job and less future , we the tax payer will be burdened very soon so you dont have to be.
ohiodude
Bummer, what are all those invisible people going to do? Nearly every bus I see is 95% empty and that is that......NO MORE TAXES !!!
SARTA IS OPERATED BY THIEVES
lvmypets
Get rid of Sarta's Director of Finance! She was one of the thieves using SARTA's credit cards for personal purchases!!!
PUBLIC TRANSPORATION = SOCIALISM AND ENDANGERS AMERICAN FREEDOM
csdunson
Another Gov't program that is a failure. Add it to the long list: the Post Office, SS, Fannie and Freddie, Medicare, Medicaid, AFDC, and Conrail. future failures will include: Cap & Trade and Healthcare reform. Socialism doesn't work folks. Nowhere has it been tried and succeeded. You are trading a small bit of security for a large chuck of your freedom.
I RIDE THE BUS, BUT I'M NOT ONE OF "THEM"
OLD AND INFIRM SARTA RIDERS = LAZY TAX CHISLERS
This comment deserves a special note. It is dsteelman1's response to Donna Whelan, retired school teacher, Repubican, and neighborhood activist and crime chaser--and a personal acquaintance of I Hate Canton-- who rides the bus due to personal health concerns. Ms Whelan's post appears followed by dsteelman1's response.
Donna Whelan
EXCUSE ME! I actually only made it through the first 15-20 comments when I decided to make a comment. IF your health is fine, IF you think that things won't happen to you...guess again. People who ride the bus aren't beggers. I pay my $43. full fare per month. I've had a series of mini-strokes. I've CHOSEN not to drive [and not kill you all stepping on the gas rather than the break]
What dont some of you all get? Not everybody should or can drive...elderly, handicapped, ME!~ I could drive, chose not to...what art of that don't you morons don't understand?
dsteelman1
Well Donna Ill tell ya what part.
The part where paying for your ride to work takes money out of my kids mouths.
The part where some of MY money could be used to by myself a newer more reliable vehicle to get to work. For the record( 97 Suburban , 170,000 miles, no heat ,only 4th gear.)
The part where todays 'people' insist that there need of my money is so overwhelming as to describe people like me as hatemongers, wingnuts, uncaring , etc, etc.
These are a few of the 'parts' I dont understand.
What part of, we the people are having just as hard a time with paycuts , layoffs , paying bills in this economy as you or anyone else. And to top that off , we hear from people who DEMAND our money for themselves and their own needs, do you not understand
We hope that you agree that dsteelman1, who has previously argued that welfare recipients be "spayed and neutered," their "urchins" starved in the street, and that "large population centers of America aren't any safer than Iraq" deserves first prize of the day. Mr. ds1's neighbors should march on his house, confiscate his smelly SUV and pull it to the nearest junkyard leaving him desperate and carless and eventually jobless. We congratulate Ms. Whelan for not obliging ds by sticking her head in the oven. We trust she will continue her nightly raids into his kitchen to feed her greedy SARTA habit. We wonder, though, if she ought not bring a dentist with her to help extract dsteelman1's money from his children's mouths.
Second place goes to CJ74U2NV. As a bonus, he or she will be dropped off on the outskirts of Limaville for one week and expected to walk to The Strip from there. The walk will be monitored. No bike. No cheating allowed.
Tied for second place, csdunson is also dropped off in Limaville; only he or she will be flogged through a guantlet of red banners swung by the Peoples Congress of the Stark County Communist Party aka, the SARTA Board.
Third place goes to Clarence Beeks. He also gets an IRS audit.
For her psychic ability to sort out food card holders from the worthy low incomed (such as herself) we give our first I'm Not With Stupid Award to jessic_2001.
The rest of our winners receive honorable mention.
I RIDE THE BUS, BUT I'M NOT ONE OF "THEM"
jessic_2001
Well I didn't read the comments until after I posted mine. It is a shame that you think most riders dont pay taxes and are scum. I am 24 working at wal-mart. Been there for two years. Work my but off and pay my taxes. Trust me it does make me sick the people that do ride and collect government moneys. I see those people to lazy to get a job and now rely on a food card. When I barely make a good wage and pay every dime out of my pocket for my family's food. If all these people would try (key word) to get a job and pay taxes they could have more money without these cuts.
Well I didn't read the comments until after I posted mine. It is a shame that you think most riders dont pay taxes and are scum. I am 24 working at wal-mart. Been there for two years. Work my but off and pay my taxes. Trust me it does make me sick the people that do ride and collect government moneys. I see those people to lazy to get a job and now rely on a food card. When I barely make a good wage and pay every dime out of my pocket for my family's food. If all these people would try (key word) to get a job and pay taxes they could have more money without these cuts.
OLD AND INFIRM SARTA RIDERS = LAZY TAX CHISLERS
This comment deserves a special note. It is dsteelman1's response to Donna Whelan, retired school teacher, Repubican, and neighborhood activist and crime chaser--and a personal acquaintance of I Hate Canton-- who rides the bus due to personal health concerns. Ms Whelan's post appears followed by dsteelman1's response.
Donna Whelan
EXCUSE ME! I actually only made it through the first 15-20 comments when I decided to make a comment. IF your health is fine, IF you think that things won't happen to you...guess again. People who ride the bus aren't beggers. I pay my $43. full fare per month. I've had a series of mini-strokes. I've CHOSEN not to drive [and not kill you all stepping on the gas rather than the break]
What dont some of you all get? Not everybody should or can drive...elderly, handicapped, ME!~ I could drive, chose not to...what art of that don't you morons don't understand?
dsteelman1
Well Donna Ill tell ya what part.
The part where paying for your ride to work takes money out of my kids mouths.
The part where some of MY money could be used to by myself a newer more reliable vehicle to get to work. For the record( 97 Suburban , 170,000 miles, no heat ,only 4th gear.)
The part where todays 'people' insist that there need of my money is so overwhelming as to describe people like me as hatemongers, wingnuts, uncaring , etc, etc.
These are a few of the 'parts' I dont understand.
What part of, we the people are having just as hard a time with paycuts , layoffs , paying bills in this economy as you or anyone else. And to top that off , we hear from people who DEMAND our money for themselves and their own needs, do you not understand
We hope that you agree that dsteelman1, who has previously argued that welfare recipients be "spayed and neutered," their "urchins" starved in the street, and that "large population centers of America aren't any safer than Iraq" deserves first prize of the day. Mr. ds1's neighbors should march on his house, confiscate his smelly SUV and pull it to the nearest junkyard leaving him desperate and carless and eventually jobless. We congratulate Ms. Whelan for not obliging ds by sticking her head in the oven. We trust she will continue her nightly raids into his kitchen to feed her greedy SARTA habit. We wonder, though, if she ought not bring a dentist with her to help extract dsteelman1's money from his children's mouths.
Second place goes to CJ74U2NV. As a bonus, he or she will be dropped off on the outskirts of Limaville for one week and expected to walk to The Strip from there. The walk will be monitored. No bike. No cheating allowed.
Tied for second place, csdunson is also dropped off in Limaville; only he or she will be flogged through a guantlet of red banners swung by the Peoples Congress of the Stark County Communist Party aka, the SARTA Board.
Third place goes to Clarence Beeks. He also gets an IRS audit.
For her psychic ability to sort out food card holders from the worthy low incomed (such as herself) we give our first I'm Not With Stupid Award to jessic_2001.
The rest of our winners receive honorable mention.
13 comments:
Don't those idiots realize that many people have no other means of getting back and forth to work, or going to apply for a job? Well, I guess they don't call them idiots for nothing.
I really don't appreciate Donna Wheylan being insulted because she makes use of the SARTA system, rather than chance killing someone on the highway. The steel man is an aluminum foil man..and a pinhead!
I've never seen such stingy, cheap, self-serving, people in my life. Where have all the real people gone?
I think it also might have something to do with "class" as to why some want to look down on the "lowly" bus riders as they drive their cars. It is probably mostly the "tea party" type who don't like paying their taxes either.
When I move to an apartment in Canton (within the next couple of years I hope) I am looking forward to riding the bus to get around. I really hope SARTA has things figured out by then.
What these complainers haven't figured out yet is that nobody would want to move to a city that doesn't have bus service. Some people need the bus because they can't drive and some need it because the just don't want to drive.
My step-mother, who is a teaching professor at Malone, takes SARTA from near her home in SW Massillon to the Malone campus. It gives her the extra time to work out syllabi and grade papers. She also likes it because she does not like driving in the winter. Maybe dsteelman 1 should look into giving up his (self-admitted) inefficient SUV and try the bus himself.
I have to take offense at "tea-baggers" is that meant "Republicans?" Some of us "tea baggers" have kids who ride the SARTA and support their levies. Ever see the SARTA that runs the East West route? Always full. Also, do not EVER bag on Donna W. I have met her and she is one of the most kind and intelligent people that I have ever met in my life.
Look, there is no doubt that any community needs some form of public transportation and that all such systems only survive if they are subsidized. It's just unfortunate that it does seem that most of the SARTA buses are pretty empty.
No easy answers.
#1 I also believe race rears it's ugly head here. The comment last week about how would the shoplifters get to Walmarts to steal if there is no SARTA, was clearly directed at the Black riders. Perhaps the person hasn't talked to security personnel at Walmarts, I have. There are just as many White shoplifters as there are Black ones. The Blacks get busted more because they are monitored more. I know a Black shoplifter that always takes a White shoplifter with her to the stores. The Black one serves as a distraction, getting the attention of Security, merely by her presence, while the White girl cleans house, taking everything that's not nailed or chained. She steals everything from clothes and toiletries to tv's and pc's. Meantime, back to the SARTA issue, many of those riders know that more Blacks are poor in this town, than anyone else, therefore, they'll be the riders on these buses. Like the commentor said, If most of the riders were poor or middle class White women with 5-6 children, SARTA wouldn't be having problems.
One thing I disagree with is the empty bus thing. It depends on WHEN you see the bus. You can see it at a certain point, and it will be reasonalbly full, catch it at another point, and it will be pretty empty because most have reached their destination. Same with school buses and the MRDD buses.
If some buses are full and other empty, why not eliminate the empty routes and double up on the busy ones? That would provide better service where it is needed. It would also eliminate the negative press from seeing empty buses driving around.
Mary, I can't resist. "The real people" are working 60 hours a week in order to pay all of their taxes.
Frank (Always a bridesmaid never a bride for VIOD) Manello
If you're working 60 hours a week to pay taxes, then there is something wrong. Cut back your hours and pay less. I Hate Canton never works more than 37 minutes a day to avoid the unpleasant task of taxpaying.
We know it's difficult to always be a bridesmaid, Frank, but you shared the May 7 top prize with Tom Dewey. Not the same thing, but close. Posting under your own name is the problem. Unlike most of our Reppies, you put your name where your mouth is, making you a bit too honest for regular recognition. Have you considered posting under the name Ben Bernanke or dare we suggest, Michelle Obama?
Cutting some routes, or at least cutting back on them could perhaps alleviate part of the problem. I suppose SARTA would want to pay a fortune to someone "outside" to study the matter. As if no one there could figure it out.
When we were growing up in Canton, the buses were packed in the morning and late afternoon with high school students. We are guessing that now the little darlings are bused through the school system. If so, ditch those buses. The BOE could very well make a contract with SARTA, use student IDs or SARTA issued IDs and viola, lots of paid riders. Of course, when we rode to school we paid, but it was only a quarter.
Wow BD we have it all figured out and we didn't even need to form a Blue Ribbon Committee.
I do like your idea about 37 minutes a day but there are twenty people and their families depending on me to get my job done. These twenty work for me so I do have an obligation to them. FM
Yea, Frank, I can see you always being a bridesmaid and not a bride. Doesn't cost that much to be a bridesmaid. Being a bride is a different story. You have to pay for lots of things, most of them for other people, and most of those things have a sales tax attached.
Where'd you take Mary on your honeymoon, Wooster?
OK, that's settled you and IHC--and I think we need to add Mary--can fix SARTA. But will you take stimulus money in payment. 37 minutes divided by 3 ought to come out to about 2.7 million for each of us (before taxes) Since you're so picky about those things you can pay taxes for Mary and IHC, too.
We agree, Jim. There are serious problems that need addressed that haven't been for years. We're afraid creative thinking isn't too popular in Canton.
Hey Frank, I want to pull myself up by my bootstraps, you know, the way Clarence Thomas did. So, would you be willing to give me a job? I wanna be a 'Real people', you know, work 60 hours a week so I can pay my taxes. I just won't gripe about it all the time like you.
Would you have a problem with hiring a convicted felon? You know, everyone wants us to work, but nobody wants to give us a job. That's hilarious, kind of like "Everybody wanna go to heaven, but don't nobody wanna die."
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