WHY PROPOSITION A IS NECESSARY
The issue
Since 2001, Peralta students have shown interest in having a discounted bus passes similar to UC Berkeley’s Class Pass program. And since Peralta students spend nearly one-fourth of their income on transportation, it’s understandable that they’d want to use their power as a group to get a deal.
In May 2008, the Peralta Board of Trustees voted unanimously to pay AC Transit $500,000 to create a one-year pilot program to discount bus passes for full-time students (with 12-units or more).
The consequences
Prior to the EasyPass, students had to pay $70 for a 31-day local adult pass or were forced to try to either scrounge up cash to get to and from school each day (often choosing between lunch and getting home). Others even lie about their age to get by with the discounted youth fare.
Since the fall 2008, nearly 2,000 full-time students have since gotten their Peralta EasyPass, each saving over $1,000 per year on transportation. Students simply pay $50 at the cashier’s office and receive a customized Translink card with their photo that lets them take unlimited AC Transit rides on “any line at any time.”
But the one-year pilot program ends after the summer 2009, meaning students would have to go back to paying the regular cash fare or finding other ways to get by.
Making matters worse, AC Transit voted in March to raise the adult cash fare, 10-ride tickets and 31-day passes. Monthly passes will be $80 starting July 1, meaning students would have to pay an extra $860 per year for the same service they get now with the Peralta EasyPass.
The solution
Vote YES on Proposition A to keep transportation affordable for Peralta students. Proposition A not only lowers to cost of the EasyPass from $50 to only $31 per semester, but it also lowers the minimum number of units required from 12 to just nine units. An additional 3,000 students will be able to get discounted transportation if Proposition A passes. Proposition A is the green way to go, making sure that students not only save money, but use public transportation, which is better for the environment.
