Congress may actually pass an economic stimulus bill this week, which is good news for the short-term needs of the country. There is no question the economy is tottering, and could easily tip over from recession to depression, so a bill that focuses on saving jobs and creating jobs is desperately needed. The good news is that the bill will definitely help achieve some of those aims. The bad news is that it will lay a crushing debt burden on taxpayers for the future, which can only be addressed if government becomes far more efficient in the use of tax dollars than it has in the past. That could very well force, down the road, what many of us have wanted for years, a smaller, more efficient government. But somehow, that doesn't seem likely. Because Congress hasn't figured out that the model for government is, and should be, changing. And the best example is the stimulus package. Despite billions of dollars in cuts, it still contains way too much pork. And some of the cuts (to make way for that pork) seem to make no sense, such as dropping $40 billion to help keep schools from having to fire teachers. That's counter-productive. The bill is supposed to save or create jobs, not leave them threatened. Both sides of the aisle bear the blame. The Democratic leadership rolled over on way too many pet projects among its members, losing sight of the long-term goal of the bill. And Republicans kept insisting on sticking to the same failed policies of the past, and playing the same old games where personal and party political power carried more weight than the needs of the nation. One GOP leader actually admitted his goal for the bill, and the amendments he introduced, were designed to divide the Democrats and make them look bad. So much for caring about the people of this country. Both parties should be ashamed. It is time for Congress to look up from its myopic and petty party power games, and its proclivity for pork, and look at the desperate state of the nation, focusing solely on programs that stand a good chance of meeting the goal of keeping people working. Making things work should be a bipartisan issue. This bill should be about America, not the Republican or Democratic parties. -- Kelly Everitt

A solution that might work...

Posted Wednesday, July 30, 2014, at 8:24 AM

Things remain tight for local governments, which is why the bus service is in so much trouble.

There are a small number of people who genuinely need the service. But unfortunately, it is a small number.

The bus company says it has 20,000 riders a year, which comes out to about seven riders an hour for the bus. We've never actually seen seven people on the bus at one time, but that's what their numbers say.

They want roughly $20,000 more in subsidies from the city (which has turned them down), and the county (which almost certainly will turn them down).

But one of the commissioners, Al Hofer, offered a solution that has the virtue of making sense. He asked Treasure Valley Transit why it didn't raise its fares, from the current $1 to $2?

That, of course, doubles the costs for people who use the bus, and demographically the users probably don't have a Mercedes parked in their garage somewhere, so you can expect that would be a harder hit for most bus users than some people would think. When you're poor, a few dollars can make a huge difference in your weekly budget.

But, assuming the company's ridership numbers are accurate, that idea would raise the $20,000 in revenue the bus company says it needs to continue current operations (it is already planning a significant cutback in hours and routes because the public financing subsidies it has sought from the city aren't coming through).

The public trough can't always be the source of last resort. Sometimes, some of these companies that rely on public financing need to develop a business model that leans a little bit closer to the private sector concept that revenue needs to cover costs.

-- Kelly Everitt

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Yes, just like the Mountain Home School District and the WECRD. Stop tax payer welfare. I find your position on this pretty funny Kelly considering when it comes to the MHSD and their "money woes"---you are their loudest cheerleader for more money, more money, more money. Double standards at their finest. Not really shocked/surprised.

-- Posted by OpinionMissy on Wed, Jul 30, 2014, at 8:35 PM
We can find money to fix the airport runway we can find money to help the buses. or are we at a point oF if you don't have a car WALK,GET A BYCYLE

CANT AFFORD A BIKE,HITCH HIKE CANT AFFORD ANY OF THAT AND YOU ARE OLD WITH NO FAMILY HERE .......DIE...........

SOUNDS LIKE A COMMON SOLUTION BY SOME........ME ILL PAY AND EXTRA 5 DOLLORS A YEAR FOR THE BUS........I DONT CONSIDER IT WELFARE I CONSIDER IT A COMMUNITY NECCESITY.BUT THAT'S ME, AFTER ALL SOME OF US WILL ALWAYS BE SELF SUSTAINING and never ever need public transportation............HELLO !!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Fri, Aug 1, 2014, at 10:50 PM
If you do the math using their numbers: (20,000 riders annually,358 days/year, 13 hours/day, 2 routes)it works out to a little over 2 riders/hour/route. Seems like a losing proposition even at $2per rider.

And no, $5 a year is not very much money but considering that most of the people riding the buses are riding because it is cheaper than operating their personal vehicle, I'D RATHER GIVE $5 TO A CHARITY THAT CAN PUT IT TO GOOD USE!

-- Posted by TundraRat on Wed, Aug 6, 2014, at 9:20 AM

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