Opposition lacks compassion for others

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, September 12, 2001

As a person who lives in Snohomish County as well as a transit driver, I find the letters that are against Community Transit’s tax increases absolutely astounding for their lack of compassion and civilized behavior. Community Transit is asking for a three-tenths of one cent increase in the sales tax to enable them to have service seven days a week. That is only about three cents for every $10 spent.

You would think that in today’s society people would care enough to try to help out other people who did not have the privilege, yes it is a privilege, to have a car for their own personal transportation needs. Instead, there is that old “me” mentality. If I don’t need to ride the bus, then nobody should have the use of the bus. A lot of people do not have the financial means to operate a vehicle. Some of them have lost their privilege and have no other way to get around legally. And some just cannot and should not be on the road. In a society, or at least a civilize society, it is up to us who are fortunate enough to help others who are less fortunate than the rest of us. If it means spending a whole three-tenths of one cent for each dollar, I think it would be a whole lot less expensive when you consider the alternative.

If this measure does not pass Community Transit will be forced to cut their service to five days a week as well as cutting back on the number of hours of daily operations. This will end up costing the citizens of Snohomish County far more money than the increase in the sales tax that Community Transit is asking for. The county will need millions of dollars more for welfare to support the people who can no longer work because they do not have transportation to get to their jobs. There would be hundreds of people forced to drive illegally because they have to have some means of transportation to go to work, go to the store or some other place that they need to take care of business. This also means they would have no insurance to pay for the accidents that they will have because they should not be behind the wheel of a car. And don’t forget the senior and handicapped people who will be forced to remain shut behind their doors because they do not have any other means of transportation except what is supplied to them by Community Transit.

Supporting this proposition would not only be less expensive, but it would also be the morally correct action to do.

Everett