Rally for RTA

My day was basically defined by three social events, all very different and very similar. This afternoon I went to a rally for a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) to be created for southeast Wisconsin. It would have an independent funding source. I have known for some time how poor a transit system we have in Milwaukee County and how dependent many persons are on buses for work, school and recreation. I have memories as a child taking the bus to library, boys club, swimming pool and school. Over the years the cost of taking the bus has skyrocketed while routes and service has seriously decreased. However, I did not realize till today how much this decline in mass transit has affected our beloved city, jobs base and people. Speaker after speaker, from bus drivers, to the handicapped, to businessmen, to political officials, testified to the tragic effect of poor transportation on our economy.

I thought all would be well and we would start to build a good transit system last year when we overwhelming approved with our votes a referendum to create a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) with its own tax base. But the referendum was not binding and it seems the State Legislature politicians need more motivation than the will of the people to raise taxes for services. I was a little disappointed that all we can do now is to call on our legislators.

Tonight was the monthly Faith In Recovery dinner for a Church group we used to belong to before we started a group in our church. It is always good to see old friends and meet new ones, since this Faith in Recovery group is ever expanding. Members of this group make regular visits to persons in the mental health unit of the Veterans Hospital. I feel very busy yet that this is something I should do. Being familiar with persons with mental health diseases, and being a little crazy myself, I enjoy and feel comfortable with persons in mental health units.

The third social event was a benefit concert for YouthHaiti a project to bring ecologically sound toilets to the people of a small village in Haiti. A nurse practitioner from Milwaukee went to Haiti to help persons fight infections and diseases resulting from poor sanitary conditions, only to have the same people affected again by the same health issues. Finally she decided to do something about it and to create ecologically sound toilets that also provide fertilization for growing. The music was provided by Harvey Taylor, Holly and friends. Their music, as usual, was original, moving and entertaining.

What the three events, rally, dinner and concert, had in common, besides some of the same persons at rally and concert, was the hope and spirits that doing specific things, rally for RTA, eating communally and sharing good music for a good cause, can change the world for the good, one bus, one person and one toilet at a time.

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