The IGB's blog

FROM MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH CITY COUNCIL CITIZEN COMMENTS:
Chris Hollaman, CPIBT (Committee to Preserve Independence Bus Transit) volunteer intern, presented to city staff a copy of the beginning of a new petition to restore and increase ATA public bus service for Independence. Following is some of his speech content.
 

On November 3rd, the COMBAT program will be on the election ballot for renewal via the ¼¢ sales tax that has funded the program for the past 20 years since 1989 and will fund it for another 7 years. This is NOT a new tax, but a renewal. Here it some of what it funds (and what will be lost should the sales tax not pass renewal by citizen vote:

Concerning the withholding of the proportionately small but required contribution of Independence funds for KCATA public bus transit, we have heard a number of excuses masked as reasons by city officials. We can, however, discern the difference between what we hear and what we see in actuality. We see no visible good provided to the vulnerable groups, only to affluent peers.

Jennifer Clark, Director of Community Development, was approached me after I spoke to the City Council on May 4th with an invitation to actively try to actually apply for some public bus transit funding at the next available dispensation.

“The research has been carefully and thoroughly performed. Independence specifically does qualify for available government public bus transit funding from SAFETEA-LU, TANF, and WtW grants, as well as at least 10 other government grant programs. As a matter of fact, the TANF and WtW offices for all of eastern Jackson County are even located right here in Independence on the #284 Purple route on Noland Road at Partridge.

IF YOU CAN CALL JEFFERSON CITY OR E-MAIL
IF YOU WANT TO HELP GET BUS SERVICE RESTORED IN INDEPENDENCE

I have been asked by a regular blogger to excerpt from the April issue, and have done so below this paragraph.