Your guide to the May 24 public hearing

[tags]fare hikes, los angeles, mta, metro, public hearing[/tags]

The fare increase showdown is set on May 24. Here is a preview of what could happen.

• Expect either a large turnout or very little turnout at all. As discussed here before, there is a student walkout planned that day and the Bus Riders Union is mobilizing their membership by posting flyers all over town. Or they could have done a good job at scheduling it to avoid attendance, as most of the fare forums have had poor turnout and the kids could be flakes that just want a day at the beach. Either way, both of those groups have advertised for folks to be there at 8:30 a.m., and it may be prudent to do the same.

• You will enter the board room on the third floor through the escalators on your right as you walk in the revolving door. There will be a security guard there checking bags and wanding people through, a consequence of the hardened security at the Union Station Gateway building. Depending on the crowd, expect some delay passing through the checkpoint.
• The capacity for the Metro Board Room has been variously given as somewhere between 175 and 300 (it is on the wall but I don’t remember the number). If the room fills up, I am told there is an overflow room further down from the main board room. If that fills up, the cafeteria might be placed into service to handle the crowd, and after that, the remaining options are the lobby or speakers outside the building. Inside the room, there will be at least a Spanish translator, and very likely translators in other languages and an American Sign Language interpreter somewhere in the room just to make it interesting.
• Prior to public comment, a presentation will be given of the numbers. The Chair may have the Board members ask questions at that time, or just head immediately to public comment, as is stated on the agenda.
• Each person is given exactly sixty seconds to speak, with an additional sixty seconds for translators, if the practice at the Downtown Fare Forum is followed (not sure about how much time the deaf will be given when they hand-sign their comments). The Bus Riders Union will have folks translating, or you can use Metro staff who will translate. Incidentally, the time limit is contrary to the Board Rules that clearly state five minutes for each item, per person (section 1.7.C.1). On the other hand, bitching about the rules only uses up your time, so plan wisely. If you are an elected official, or represent an elected official (and some have taken positions on the fare increase), then you are moved to the head of the line, and are given discretion to speak longer.
• The Bus Riders Union will likely disrupt the meeting at least once, regardless of the size of the crowd. It is an open question as to whether that will accomplish anything. But it will certainly attract media attention. In any event, 200 people with their sixty seconds of hate, plus the time spent getting to and from the podium, means that public comment could drag on for hours. (I have planned a whole day for this myself.) I have no idea if they will call individuals in order or not. One item of note is that some organizations will pre-submit cards for people who think they are coming, thus lengthening the perceived queue.
• The 2009 fare increase has just unnecessarily scared lots of people into a frenzy, so expect lots of comments about the outrageous amounts, and justifiably so. Expect a few smart alecks to note that the Metrolink monthly pass between two close stations such as Pomona and Claremont is cheaper by about $40 over the 2009 EZ Pass sold by Metro, and that all Metrolink passes are the equivalent of EZ Passes (with the exception of Santa Monica Big Blue Bus). Someone may remind them of their duties under the LACMTA Administrative Code (2-50-020) to prepare a written response to the issues raised at the public hearing… includ[ing] a general assessment of the social, economic and environmental impacts of the proposed change, including any impact on energy conservation. (Obviously, it would be impossible to prepare a written response while the hearing is going on, but that hasn’t stopped them before.) The Southern California Transit Advocates will have someone present their fare increase proposal here, which calls for a graduated fare increase and less steep increases in pass prices. The Bus Riders Union will probably make similar comments to what is here.
• Afterwards, expect a lot of discussion and several proposals thrown out by individual board members. Empathize with the foreign and sign language translators as they try to decipher the conversation and relay it to the public. Originally, Roger Snoble was scheduled to attend a celebration of Division 3 in the afternoon, but that was postponed to the next day in recognition that this meeting could go on for a while.
• Finally, nine members are required to pass any fare increase. So if nine aren’t found, then this continues next month. Be glad this hasn’t degenerated into Philadelphia, where some folks are contemplating taking over the SEPTA building to fight their fare increase.