Thanks for promoting essay contest
I would like to thank you for running this year’s VFW
announcement for the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest. We received more
than 50 entries from six different schools, as well as some home
schoolers.
Thanks for your help.
Bob Burnham
Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest chair
Hollister VFW Post 9242
Thanks for promoting essay contest
I would like to thank you for running this year’s VFW announcement for the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest. We received more than 50 entries from six different schools, as well as some home schoolers.
Thanks for your help.
Bob Burnham
Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest chair
Hollister VFW Post 9242
Free transport carries heavy price tag
As far as I know “Free Transport” and tooth fairies may exist in a galaxy far away, but here on Earth – sorry to burst anyone’s bubble. In SBC while serving on COG’s Transit Task Force, using COG’s data I showed what COG transport costs, and would in the future cost, if trends continued.
COG’s operations expense data revealed that to move .004 (four one-thousandths) (.4 percent) of the County’s annual trips, COG spent more than $1 million. Let’s just call it $1 million for ease of understanding the boondoggle wastefulness.
So, doubling “ridership” COG would spend $2 million to move .008 (eight one-thousandths) of our trips, assuming all things equal.
Double again, you’d have .016 (sixteen one-thousandths) for $4 million. Then double “ridership” and you’d have .032 (3.2%) for $8M. Double again: .064 (6.4%) for $16 million. Then double again: .128 (12.8%) for $32 million . And then: .256 (25.6%) for $64 million.
Since the operations data excludes capital and fixed costs, e.g., cost of buying buses, terminals, etc., those costs are extra on top of the operations costs.
Since we get back only 11 cents for each dollar that we send to Sacramento, you have to multiply these findings by 9.9 to see what it costs SBC’s taxpayers for the “Free Transport” we’re receiving from COG.
At that rate we’re going to need those tooth fairies, or COGs’ directors are going to have to plant money trees in their back yards.
A pinch of reality makes for good government here on planet Earth. Please help us find truth in transport in our County.
Caveat viator.
Joseph P. Thompson
Past Member, SBCCOG Citizens Transit Task Force
Tres Pinos
