People with disabilities in Lee County plan to turn out in force for budget hearings on September 4 and 18. At issue are proposed cuts to public transportation.
Lee County Commissioners have decided against a tax increase and instead are working to balance the budget by cutting some services. This includes eliminating two bus routes and reducing service on weekends and holidays. Michael Pierce, an advocate with Center for Independent Living in Ft. Myers, said the budget trimming measure is ill-timed.
“The regular bus service has for the first time broken 4 million trips this year and in coordination with that the para-transit system, the special needs busses, has done over 105 thousand trips this year,” he said. “This being the biggest year in LeeTran’s history, this is the time to increase public transportation not decrease it.”
The county is facing a $32 million budget shortfall. It said cutting back on bus service will save about half a million dollars.
Pierce, who is blind, said 95 percent of the people who receive services through the Center for Independent Living, use public transportation. He said the will make their voices heard at the upcoming meetings.
