Students Need Passes to Get to Their Classes!

I've been neglecting my blogging since I returned to my classroom in the fall. And then, last week, the MTA voted to cut funding for free student MetroCards and my worlds collided. My students, and hundreds and thousands of others around the City, are in jeopardy. Free student passes have been around since the fare went from 5 cents to 10 cents. Today, the fare is $2.25 and fare hikes will likely follow service cuts. The burden on families with children will be tremendous if the cuts of student MetroCards go through.

This afternoon, I went with twenty of my students to protest outside MTA headquarters. It was a peaceful but passionate protest. My students were angry, and rightly so. They understand the meaning of this decision: No transportation, no education! Don't you care? Pay our fare! We need passes to get to our classes! These same young people often struggle to see the connection between their lives and the history I try to teach them. They wonder if protesting will make a difference. As Billie Holliday sang, the impossible will take a little while. Howard Zinn has said much about how people make change, but I offer these words to my students and all the other young people who wonder if it's worth making noise about this issue:

"...Throughout history, people have felt powerless before authority, but at certain times these powerless people, by organizing, acting, risking, and persisting, have created enough power to change the world around them, even if a little. That is the history of the labor movement, the women's movement, the anti-Vietnam War movement, the disabled person's movement, the gay and lesbian movement and the [Civil Rights] movement...."

Attacks on the Poor

I can't say I understand why my last blog post...admittedly in late June (disgraceful!)...doesn't seem to be up on the blog (or to exist anywhere), but I have been ruminating on this new post since I had an interesting encounter last weekend in my home station.

On Sunday, I returned from Williamsburg, so pleased that the G train was again running regularly on weekends. I went through the turnstiles at Hoyt-Schermerhorn, but found no one to metroshare with. This was disappointing, since I can almost always find someone near the turnstiles there who asks for and/or graciously accepts a free swipe and a smile. Ahh, well. When I came up the Bond Street stairs, a young man asked me for change. As I was returning from yoga, I had no change, but I asked him if he needed a ride. He did, so I walked him back to the turnstiles. I suggested that it was a better spot to wait in if what he wanted was a free swipe. Here's what he told me:

He has a court date coming up because he was ticketed for "manipulating the turnstile" the last time someone on her way out swiped him on his way in. The police stopped him and wanted to see his MetroCard. He explained that someone else paid his fare, but since he could not point her out (she was moving in the opposite direction, as metrosharers should be), they did not accept his story.

Now, there are a long list of things wrong here. I have been kicking myself all week for failing to get his name and court date. I did tell him about my blog and tell him that he (and the person who swiped him in) had done nothing wrong, and that my blog details the rules about sharing. It was impossible to believe that a white man would have been stopped and questioned for similar reasons. Even without the Henry Louis Gates arrest still quite fresh in the collective consciousness, this would have been striking. But I had just read Barbara Ehrenreich's "Is it Now a Crime to Be Poor," in the New York Times (August 8, 2009).

Ehrenreich writes:

By far the most reliable way to be criminalized by poverty is to have the wrong-color skin. Indignation runs high when a celebrity professor encounters racial profiling, but for decades whole communities have been effectively “profiled” for the suspicious combination of being both dark-skinned and poor, thanks to the “broken windows” or “zero tolerance” theory of policing popularized by Rudy Giuliani, when he was mayor of New York City, and his police chief William Bratton.

Flick a cigarette in a heavily patrolled community of color and you're littering; wear the wrong color T-shirt and you're displaying gang allegiance.

It turns out that accepting the kindness of a fellow rider is another way for a poor person to be criminalized. Ehrenreich also writes about the crack-down on sharing, once believed to be a basic human activity:

The viciousness of the official animus toward the indigent can be breathtaking. A few years ago, a group called Food Not Bombs started handing out free vegan food to hungry people in public parks around the nation. A number of cities, led by Las Vegas, passed ordinances forbidding the sharing of food with the indigent in public places, and several members of the group were arrested. A federal judge just overturned the anti-sharing law in Orlando, Fla., but the city is appealing. And now Middletown, Conn., is cracking down on food sharing.

I am still thinking about the best way to address the outrageous unfairness of what happened to the young man I met at Hoyt-Schermerhorn.

MetroSharing Update; Analyzing the New Fares

I've been metrosharing more frequently these days and I can't help feeling that the combination of high unemployment and the imminent fare increase is making it easier to offer a swipe and easier for others to accept.  Although the fare increase does not take effect until June 28, the current fare, not to mention the coming hike, is pretty daunting, especially for people who aren't finding enough work.  

Look for people (usually young men) standing or leaning on a column near the turnstiles.  I sometimes get turned down, but not once has anyone seemed offended. The unemployment rate in New York City is at 8%, but much higher for certain groups (like young men!). I suspect the young men who routinely (and graciously, in every instance) accept my offer of a swipe, are not on the way to work.  This doesn't mean they don't work or don't want to work.

Remember that you can metroshare within the family as well as with the general public.  If your child has a school MetroCard (useless on weekends), s/he can use your unlimited on the weekend.  And it's completely legal for one member of the family to swipe in another in the morning and then use the same pass a little later to get to work (or college or the park, etc.). Walking a loved one to the nearest subway can be a great way to have someone all to yourself, even for just a few minutes.

Here's what's going to happen on June 28:

single ride will go from $2 to $2.25

(15% bonus on fare cards will be added to cards for $8 and above)

7-day unlimited will go from $25 to $27 

14-day unlimited will go from $47 to $51.50

30-day unlimited will go from $81 to $89

For one thing, the math is more complicated if you're trying to figure out the best deal for your budget and your riding habits.

Let's say you buy a $10 fare card, on which you get a $1.50 bonus.  You'll get 5 rides on that card, with $.25 left over.  If you refill it 8 times ($90 total expenditure, $103.50 total value with the bonus), you'll be paying just under $2 a ride ($1.96).  

When is an unlimited card a good value?

7-day: if you ride AT LEAST 14 times in the one-week

14-day: if you ride AT LEAST 27 times in the two-week period

30-day:  if you ride AT LEAST 46 times in the 30-day period

If you are buying an unlimited card, you get a lot more out of it if you metroshare.  Just pause and look around after you exit a turnstile.  Don't forget to smile.

Crisis Averted!

The New York Times (online edition) has just reported that a budget deal in Albany will fund the MTA and hold the fare increase on single bus and subway rides to $2.25. Monthly MetroCards will sell for $89 (up from $81). The deal, expected to pass in both the Assembly and the Senate on Wednesday, has no Republican support.  It involves a payroll tax (3.4%), a surcharge on taxi rides and increases in vehicle-registration and license fees and the auto-rental tax.  

It is never good news when the price of basic services increases, but as May 31 is rapidly approaching, I am relieved that we will not be facing a 25% fare increase and drastic service cuts.  From these early reports, it looks as if service cuts will be averted.

Metrosharing Goes Mainstream!

On the morning of April 6, just before I left town for vacation, I saw a piece in the "Metropolitan Diary" in The Times that made me smile:

Dear Diary:

On a recent weekend in New York, my husband and I were sharing a MetroCard. Rushing to catch a train at the Union Square subway station, we didn’t notice that the card was running out of money. My husband swiped the card successfully, passed through the turnstile, then handed it back to me, but the card was now worth $0.00.

As I dithered, trying to decide what to do next, a youth behind me reached around and swiped his card for me.

When I turned to thank him, he replied impatiently, “Just go!”

Mary Donaldson-Evans

Now that I'm back home, I've been metrosharing almost daily (demand seems to be up).  Send metrosharing stories if you like and I will be happy to post them.

On the Street and On the Subway

It was windy out there today on the march down Broadway, across Wall Street, and past the Stock Exchange.  The masses were out, demanding peace and economic security.  I had the good fortune to march with Reverend Billy, the Green Party candidate for Mayor of New York City. Michael O'Neil of the Green Party told me about the MTA Service Specialists.  These young women have taken it upon themselves to improve service on the subways and help riders have a better experience.

The MTA Service Specialists will make you laugh, as they mock the service cuts, restore civility and good will to the subways, and provide their own services: helping riders with directions, carrying strollers, and distributing tissues, snacks, and beautiful smiles.

Check out their website:  www.mtaservice.org/service.html

Second Chance to Take It to the Street

I can't lie.  The pouring rain discouraged me today and I did not make it to Wall Street.  Luckily, we have a second chance (in case you also didn't make it).  This is the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Beyond Vietnam" speech, and the organizers (United For Peace and Justice) are treating this march as a call to our leaders to move us in a new direction, toward peace, economic justice, and equality for all.  

The struggle for affordable public transportation may not seem glamorous (though it is!), but it is a cornerstone of economic justice and a greener NYC.

If you want to march with Rev. Billy's contingent, meet at the SW corner of Franklin and Lafayette at 11:30.  I hope to see you in the streets.

 

Service Cuts and Fare Hikes: Take it to the Street

It's a bad day for transit riders.  The MTA board voted 12-1 in favor of fare hikes ($2.50 a ride, effective May 31) and massive service cuts, including the elimination of 35 bus routes and the W and Z trains.  Fare increases on commuter trains will take effect on June 1 and increases on the MTA's bridges tolls will follow in mid-July.  According to the New York Times, two-thirds of the mass transit riders in the U.S. are going to be affected.

H. Dale Hemmerdinger, the chairman of MTA's board, remarked that in 9 public hearings, the Board heard 595 speakers (including the Fair Sharer) give 44 hours of verbal testimony.  In addition, they read through 20,995 letters and emails.  They were moved by the reaction to the proposed fare hikes and service cuts, but nonetheless felt that without support from the State, there was no alternative but to enact their plan.

According to the New York Times, if Albany passes a rescue package for the MTA, there may still be time to stop the changes before they take effect.  I expect outrage and action.  Keep the heat on your elected officials in Albany.  

Come out and march on Wall Street on Friday, April 3.  

Call Albany Today!

We need to keep the pressure on Albany!  If you've already written your State Senator and petitioned your Assembly representative, that's great.  But tomorrow is the deadline for our lawmakers to decide on funding for the MTA.  

Make a call today to your State Senator to remind him/her that a 23% fare hike is unacceptable and that service cuts will make the city less safe and less vibrant.  Remind your elected officials that the Ravitch plan shares the burden of funding transit more fairly.  Remind them that we're out here, we expect representation, we demand fairness, and we will be heard.

If you don't have your State Senator's phone number posted over your phone, go to 

www.senate.state.ny.us/senatehomepage.nsf/senators?OpenForm

Support Reverend Billy for Mayor

Reverend Billy, the extraordinary activist and spiritual leader (Church of Stop Shopping), is one of my heroes.  He is principled, funny, courageous, and smart, and he is blessing this city by running for mayor.  

From his platform:

Let's get New York City Moving!  We want to get New Yorkers where they need and want to go with efficiency and ease by implementing free mass transit and congestion pricing.  Such measures will help stimulate economic activity by allowing increased freedom of movement.  

Reverend Billy is the obvious choice for metrosharers and all of us who share in his vision of a viable, vibrant, healthy, and safe New York.  Check out his full platform at

www.voterevbilly.org/platform

Metrosharing is Legal

Yesterday, I emailed the MTA my question about MetroCard rules for sharing unlimited cards and I received an automated response telling me that I would receive an answer within 15 days.

Kudos to the MTA for responding in less than 24 hours.  Their response:

We appreciate your interest in using the MetroCard and the New York City public transportation system.  Unlimited Ride MetroCards are intended to be used by one person.  Therefore, please be aware that while you can give your Unlimited Ride MetroCard to someone else when you are not using it, this type of card cannot be used to pay for the fares of others you may be traveling with.

This morning, impatient for an answer and urged by a savvy friend to use my status as a blogger, I contacted the Public Affairs office of the MTA.  Charles Seaton asked me to send my question in writing.  Just a few minutes before I got the reply above, he replied:

Restrictions: Unlimited Ride MetroCard may not be transferred to another person until the completion of the trip for which entry was obtained... Can only be used by one person at a time.

-- From All about MetroCard

While I feel certain that metrosharing was not considered by the MTA when writing their rules, the rules from "All about MetroCard" leave no room for ticketing a metrosharer, who has completed his/her trip before transferring the card (momentarily) to another person.  The first response indicates the intent that unlimited cards be used by one person, which means that it is likely that Antonin Scalia would uphold a ticket for a metrosharer.  But I think the majority opinion would find that a metrosharer is acting within the rules, since sharer and sharee are traveling neither together nor at the same time.

Any comments?

Is Metrosharing Legal? - Chapter 2

I was feeling really good today.  I've been collecting signatures on a petition created by the Campaign for New York's Future to ask NYS legislators to fund affordable subways, buses, and commuter rails so that we can avert the threatened service cuts and fare hikes.  The response has been amazing.  So when I got off the train at my home station, I really wanted to metroshare, but I didn't see anyone I could share with (it can be delicate to offer unasked-for help, which is why people keep bugging me -- rightly -- about the buttons we need to identify ourselves as metrosharers).  I did see an MTA employee, so I decided to follow up the legality question, which has been on my mind.

So I asked, "Is it legal for someone with an unlimited MetroCard to swipe in 

another rider?"

"No," he said.  "You can get a ticket for that."

"Really?" I asked.  "I looked at the Conditions of Use and I didn't see any rule 

against it.  How are people supposed to know the rules?"

He backtracked and said that it was okay for family members to use the same unlimited card. He also pointed out that if one person paid another's fare with an unlimited card, the MTA would lose money. I pointed out that that consequence would not make it illegal if the rule wasn't in the Conditions of Use.  At that point, he told me to go online to the MTA website.  So I came home and tried again to find clarity on the rules.

Having already read the Conditions of Use, I decided to plow through the 190 (yes, really!) FAQs on the MTA website.  The rule is now as clear as mud, as illustrated by the MTA's responses to two of these 190 questions (after a long sit at my computer, I concluded that none of the others apply).

Question #39 - Can I pay for others with MetroCard?

Answer: With Pay-Per-Ride Metrocard you can pay for up to four people at one time and all four can transfer together free.  Unlimited Ride MetroCard cannot be used to pay for others' fares.

Had I not proceeded to #43, I would have retracted my earlier post assuring unlimited cardholders (who are not covered by Premium TransitChek rules - see post from 2/21) that they are acting within the rules.  But question #43 (How do I know which MetroCard is right for me?) directs readers to a page called "Comparing Unlimited and Pay-Per-Ride (Regular) Metrocards." On the chart under the Unlimited Card, it says "Can only be used by one person at a time."

Well, yes.  Only one person can use an unlimited card at one time.  But what if I use it and then you use it 18 minutes later?  What if you're family? What if you're my neighbor? What if we are meeting for the first time in fleeting communion at the turnstile?

So I have submitted a query to the MTA to get to the bottom of this.  And you, dear readers, will be the first to know what I find out.  

The Ethics of Metroshare Unlimited

As most people know, just because something is legal doesn't make it right.  A friend asked me how I can justify encouraging people to use their unlimited MetroCards to swipe others in; why, she wondered, is it right to deprive the MTA of needed revenue?  

Occasionally, I am surprised by my own clarity about an ethical issue.  What I told my friend is that I believe that public transportation, like public education, should be free to those who use it. It should be supported by taxes and available to everyone. In both cases, the society as a whole benefits from everyone having access.  There will always be those who can afford private alternatives, but as these are essential services, they should be available to all people, even if we can't all contribute equally.

Perhaps someone who doesn't use public transit may wonder why his taxes should support my subway ride.  This is straightforward enough: for many years, my tax dollars have paid for roads and other infrastructure that permit him to drive his car.  Moreover, the externalized environmental costs of driving are borne by all of us.  And they are not shared equally; some people have the misfortune to live in areas of heavy traffic congestion.

So now, finally, we come to the essence of metrosharing:  we are all in this together. 

Metrosharing connects us to the people right in front of us, which is always a good thing. If enough people do it, it will cut into MTA's revenue, raise hackles, and call attention to the hardship that many New Yorkers experience at the fare box.  Starting this campaign has motivated me to work very hard for Fair Share Tax Reform and other measures which bring us closer to a society in which we all have access to quality public services and we share the costs equitably.  

See You at City Hall - Fair Share Tax Reform

On Thursday, March 5th, from 4-7 PM, New Yorkers will gather at City Hall to demand Fair Share Tax Reform. As a committed member of the Working Families Party (WFP), I admire the substance and the name of this initiative.  In short, WFP is mobilizing voters to protest the state budget proposals that will cut vital services -- including education, health, and transit -- and demand instead that tax increases on more affluent New Yorkers are a better solution.

I encourage you to go to fairsharereform.com.  Then, come on out to City Hall tomorrow.  

Act Now - Write Your State Senator

In the spirit of fair sharing (and fare sharing), Transportation Alternatives (TA) is urging New Yorkers to write our state senators urging them to support the Ravitch plan. Richard Ravitch, former head of the MTA, has proposed requiring tolls on the East River bridges.  This would mean that drivers would be asked to pay their fair share to support bridge maintenance.  In the short term, the additional revenue would also be used to forestall service cuts to buses and subways and reduce the size of the projected fare increase.  Personally, I am tired of footing the bill for drivers -- we pay a much bigger proportion of the real costs of public transit than drivers pay for the real cost of roads -- not to mention the other externalized costs like air quality and safety.  Good public transportation is good for drivers as well as those of us who use it, since it reduces congestion.  I could go on and on, but it's time for action.

I was out on the street in Park Slope on Saturday with other TA activists and the response from the public was excellent.  People were happy to write letters (we provided clipboards, pens, paper, sample letters, and free cookies).  Writing a letter only takes a few minutes (really!) and it has much more of an impact than mass email.  If you haven't written your letter yet, you can do this from home, but you'll need your own paper, pen, envelope, stamp, and cookies.  

How to do it:  First,  find your state senator's name and address, by going to www.senate.state.ny.us/senatehomepage.nsf/senators?OpenForm

and follow instructions to locate your senator and his or her home page.  If you can't manage a snail mail letter, send an email to your senator; but if you're overwhelmed by feelings of good citizenship (cookies may help you to sustain these feelings), do it right.  Tell your senator what neighborhood you live in and why you want him or her to support the Ravitch plan.  Feel free to use my reasons (above).  Make sure that you sign your letter and print your name and address as well.  

Next, bring some cookies to the neighbors in the next apartment, offer to address their envelopes, and spread the word!

Chapter and Verse - Is Metrosharing Legal?

A reader has asked for "chapter and verse on the legality" of metrosharing.  In my initial research, I came across several secondary sources that noted that MetroCards are not non-transferrable.  I have carefully reviewed the NYC Transit Rules of Conduct  at mta.info/nyct/rules/rules.htm#payment and there is nothing to indicate that it is illegal to share an unlimited MetroCard, but I did come across this item in section 1050.4:  

"Fare media (aka metrocards) that have been ... improperly transferred or that have been used in a manner inconsistent with the rules shall be confiscated." (All italics in this post are mine.)

Which are the proper and which are the improper transfers?  What rules do they mean?  It turns out that there is another set of rules, called the  Premium TransitChek MetroCard Terms and Conditions, which apply to those who purchase their cards with employer-issued TransitCheks or payroll deductions (as so many public employees do), which expressly states that "Transfer of Benefits for use by other than the enrolled employee for its intended purpose is not permitted and may result in suspension of further benefits, disciplinary action, and other penalties." 

Had I not received my new TransitChek MetroCard in the mail this week, I might not have realized that there are different rules for unlimited cardholders who purchase cards through the TransitChek program.  It certainly wasn't clear from the MTA website.  My card came with a letter that referred to these rules without indicating where to find them!  It didn't require much effort to locate the rules (www.premiumenrollment.com/ptc2employee/faq/termsCondition.html), but if I wanted someone to follow my rules, I would print them on back of the letter.

But those are the rules: metrosharing is completely legal if you purchase your card at a machine, but not if you purchase your card with TransitChek or payroll deductions. 

Now, we get to the important question of whether it is wrong to share even if it is a violation of the Premium TransitChek MetroCard Terms and Conditions.  I am considering this question myself and am eager to hear what my readers think about this.  The alternative, if I conclude that it is unethical to metroshare with a card purchased with TransitChek, is to buy my cards the old-fashioned way (at the machines).  In the end, it won't cost much more, since I pay for my MetroCard year round, even when I am out of the City for weeks at a time.  (Of course, I've always used my vacations as opportunities to metroshare with a neighbor!)

This blog is a public space; it belongs to all of us and I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Metroshare Unlimited - a little background

A former student asked yesterday where the idea for the campaign came from.  We met at a school for peace and justice, and so I knew he'd see the problem with a city that offers no transit assistance to lower-income residents.  Transit expenses are not optional, which means fare hikes burden people with lower incomes unfairly.  

Several things motivated me to make a campaign out of this idea. I have a long history of one-woman campaigns (vegetarianism, not using disposable water bottles, not ordering take-out, using the stairs instead of elevators). My excuse for going it alone, besides the fact that it's obnoxious to try to convince everyone of everything I believe, has always been that my work is my big campaign. But this year, I'm on sabbatical, which frees up about 65-70 hours a week.  I also get to go to school, and the metroshare logo was part of my final design project for a class I took this fall.

A friend of a friend remarked that if metrosharing becomes very popular, there is likely to be an institutional reaction to the loss of revenue.  She's right, of course, but institutional reactions tend to be really slow, which presents an opportunity for people to take action and lead the way. Among my goals are a cultural shift in favor of sharing resources more equitably (on an institutional basis and as a personal consideration, a la Peter Singer) and transit assistance for low-income people.

Obama's election definitely inspired me.  Community activism has always been important, but now it's enjoying a moment in the sun.  So step into the sunshine this February and metroshare.

MTA Public Hearing in Brooklyn

Last night's hearing was an educational experience.  I learned a great deal about the inadequacies of the Access-a-Ride service provided by the MTA.  The MTA's plan is to double the fares to $6 per trip (!@#), while cutting bus services that are far more accessible to elderly and disabled riders than the subways, since so many stations lack working elevators.  If anyone has ideas for extending the concept of metrosharing more broadly to help more people get around, please comment.

I distributed many Metroshare flyers at the hearing and finally got my turn to speak at 11:35 pm. The response to the flyers was very positive, but the audience had dwindled by the time I got to speak.  

Thanks for all of the support.  Some people have emailed (metrosharing@gmail.com) to tell me about problems trying to post comments on the blog and to offer great suggestions for the campaign.  The technological aspects of blogging are an unfolding mystery, and I will work to respond to comments as well as emails.  All suggestions are most welcome.  I did, in fact, design a button for unlimited riders to identify themselves, but need to give more thought to distribution. I'll be out of NYC at the beginning of February, but will continue to work on this challenge.

Special thanks to agentprof, who helped load the logo today, and to my sister, who helped with its design.  There is much work ahead and all hands are needed aboard this campaign.  

Don't forget to share a swipe!

METROSHARE UNLIMITED

Tonight, I am launching the Metroshare Unlimited Campaign.  Here's what I'm going to say at the MTA's public hearing about proposed fare hikes and service cuts:

A fare hike is the wrong move in hard times.  

Raising fares is a regressive measure, hitting low-income New Yorkers the hardest when they can least afford an increase of this necessary expense.  The impact on teens and young adults will be terrible, as they find themselves confined to their neighborhoods except when traveling to and from paid employment.

Today, I'm here to address unlimited MetroCard riders.  It's time to share a valued resource that we've paid for.  I'm urging unlimited card-holders to identify themselves on the way OUT of a turnstile.  Say "I metroshare" or "you can ask me."  And then swipe someone into the turnstile as you exit.  If you swipe someone IN on your way OUT, you help someone save a few dollars.  In the past, the MTA has encouraged riders to share unlimited MetroCards with other family members.  I'm asking everyone to consider other New Yorkers as part of your family and to share a ride.

Of course, it's always illegal to sell a swipe.  But the MetroCard is NOT non-transferable, which means that sharing a swipe is completely legal and does not violate the MTA's Conditions of Use.

On July 16, 2008, the New York Times published what they called "The MetroCard Bell Curve" to report the finding that the average user of an unlimited monthly MetroCard takes 56 rides, bringing the cost of a ride down to about $1.45.  That average included less than 1800 riders who take 100 trips a month AND over 10,000 riders who aren't really getting their money's worth from their monthly passes.  When the price of a monthly pass goes to $105, the MTA is going to find that these 10,000+ riders will trade the convenience of a monthly card for the 15% savings on $20 cards, and revenues will sink rather than rise.

Metrosharing, or swiping someone IN on your way OUT, is a way to get your money's worth and to help each other.  New York City fare-sharers are going to change the culture of the subway and the city.

It's time for the MTA to think big about the role of public mass transit.  It is never a good time to discourage the use of mass transit, but falling gas prices make this a vulnerable time for our city. More traffic would choke the life from New York.  The wealth of this city is its people and our capacity to get to work and go to school.  It is the people who breathe life into our parks and museums, theaters, libraries, and stores.  We're not a great city if everyone stays home.  Don't raise the fare.