OK, let's face it: You know and I know that SEPTA has a ton of problems. It's a running joke in the city.
For all its flaws, we can agree that the service isn't the worst in the world, but it is far from perfect. The fact that you can take public transit to just about ANY point in the city is amazing, and we really are lucky to have it. Imagine all the poor folks stuck in the suburbs who have to drive everywhere.
SEPTA is going to raise it's fairs AGAIN for the first time in 3 years, and it isn't going to be pretty. New rules on passes, not to mention an increase averaging about 5% on all fairs (save the based Bus and Subway fare). You've heard that SEPTA is going to go ahead with the name change of Pattison Station to AT&T Station, and I argued that the name change isn't going to mean anything in the whole of the budget.
Why? Because the budget hole is $100 Million, and SEPTA is only getting $3 Million. In other words, not much.
So when I saw that Fox News was reporting on SEPTA tonight and them WASTING money, I could, you guessed it, only sit in anticipation to find out what they were doing now. My fairs are going up thanks to these assholes, and they're WASTING MONEY?! Fuck 'em!
The report... was sad at best.
Jeff Cole, who I greatly admire, has a series that takes on government waste. The problem? 99% of the time, it's basically nothing. For example, he was outraged that the PA Government spent money on those little book-things you get when the government gives out an award.
Tonight's complaint? SEPTA is spending money on making their employees happy! The bastards!
No, it's not making health care better or giving more vacation time! No! That cost's MONEY! Instead, they spent about $10k on... parties and awards. No, you didn't misread that: Ten Thousand bucks to throw a Christmas Party and give some awards to the upper-management. About half of that money was for the part alone.
"OH NOES!", you may be screaming, "SEPTA is wasting a TON of money on this stuff! No wonder my fare is going up!! THOSE ASSHOLES!" Then again, if you think that, you're either an idiot or just simply ignorant, and I can forgive the second one. SEPTA's annual budget? $1.132 BILLION.
I will repeat this: SEPTA's operating budget for 2010 is $1.132 BILLION DOLLARS.
So SEPTA spending $10k on a party and some awards? Not really all that bad for once. SEPTA selling the naming rights to a station for $3 Millions, and people defending it so we don't see a fair hike? Pretty stupid since that's less than 1 percent of the budget, and only 3% of what the budget shortfall is.
Feel free to read their actual operating budget for yourself. (PDF FILE!!!!!!)
Photos from KYW1060
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