Bus Drivers
08-27-2003, 12:27 PM
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Bus Drivers
I'm wondering if any of you got caught in some of the worst traffic in Oahu's history on Tuesday?
Anyway, I thought I'd post this because it's hard for me to walk around without someone talking about the strike.
Please post your feelings towards the recent bus strike, and please no flame wars.
Anyway, I thought I'd post this because it's hard for me to walk around without someone talking about the strike.
Please post your feelings towards the recent bus strike, and please no flame wars.
08-27-2003, 12:50 PM
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I'll start.
From what I understand, the state already has a multi-million dollar shortage of funds for the bus system and the workers are now demanding an increase in wages plus benefits. Obviously the money has to come from somewhere but the question is where?
I don't feel that the people who ride the bus should pay more necessarily because most of that percentage of the public don't have much money (otherwise they'd drive a car). Why charge more from people who are already making small or no salaries (like students)? It doesn't make any sense to force people who don't have money to pay more.
There's a good deal of people that make very good salaries in Hawaii and the last time I've checked, there's been an increase in people who make 60,000-100,000 a year, and the public who makes >100,000 hasn't decreased in the last few years. They should find a way to adjust the tax bracket to have them pay a little more for public services (in trade for or an addition to paying other taxes). It makes more sense to charge those with deeper pockets. Companies in general who do their business in Hawaii should be forced to pay a flat rate (based on their income bracket) to pay for public services like the bus system instead of allowing them to choose who to make "charitable donations" to. The way I see it, if they make money in Hawaii, it should be mandatory for them to pay a small amount back into the state at a flat rate based on annual revenue.
Just like our gas issue. When the courts found the gas companies collaborating and hiking gas prices, the gas companies had to pay a fine to the government. That IMHO makes no sense. The state already benefits from higher gas prices. Then they sue the gas companies and benefit again? I still believe that after finding those companies guilty of fixing gas prices, I should get a friggin' check in the mail, not have that money go to the government. (the government wasn't hurt from the gas prices, WE were) The more I look at stuff like this, the less faith I seem to have in our governement.
From what I understand, the state already has a multi-million dollar shortage of funds for the bus system and the workers are now demanding an increase in wages plus benefits. Obviously the money has to come from somewhere but the question is where?
I don't feel that the people who ride the bus should pay more necessarily because most of that percentage of the public don't have much money (otherwise they'd drive a car). Why charge more from people who are already making small or no salaries (like students)? It doesn't make any sense to force people who don't have money to pay more.
There's a good deal of people that make very good salaries in Hawaii and the last time I've checked, there's been an increase in people who make 60,000-100,000 a year, and the public who makes >100,000 hasn't decreased in the last few years. They should find a way to adjust the tax bracket to have them pay a little more for public services (in trade for or an addition to paying other taxes). It makes more sense to charge those with deeper pockets. Companies in general who do their business in Hawaii should be forced to pay a flat rate (based on their income bracket) to pay for public services like the bus system instead of allowing them to choose who to make "charitable donations" to. The way I see it, if they make money in Hawaii, it should be mandatory for them to pay a small amount back into the state at a flat rate based on annual revenue.
Just like our gas issue. When the courts found the gas companies collaborating and hiking gas prices, the gas companies had to pay a fine to the government. That IMHO makes no sense. The state already benefits from higher gas prices. Then they sue the gas companies and benefit again? I still believe that after finding those companies guilty of fixing gas prices, I should get a friggin' check in the mail, not have that money go to the government. (the government wasn't hurt from the gas prices, WE were) The more I look at stuff like this, the less faith I seem to have in our governement.
08-27-2003, 01:16 PM
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hyper-X
[B]
There's a good deal of people that make very good salaries in Hawaii and the last time I've checked, there's been an increase in people who make 60,000-100,000 a year, and the public who makes >100,000 hasn't decreased in the last few years.
[B]
There's a good deal of people that make very good salaries in Hawaii and the last time I've checked, there's been an increase in people who make 60,000-100,000 a year, and the public who makes >100,000 hasn't decreased in the last few years.
08-27-2003, 05:35 PM
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Interesting thoughts. I don't ride the bus. I still pay for it. I don't have kids. I still pay for public education. The bus workers are paid enough. IMO you don't get more money just because you happen to still be employed and have a pulse. What we really need is a seperate checkout line for people paying with EBT cards! I shouldn't have to stand in line behind someone who isn't paying "full price" and using MY money to boot! Maybe we should start a new thread on this.....
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08-27-2003, 07:54 PM
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i have a little inside info for all of you. the state or government or whatever is saving $400,000 per day with the buses on strike. my boss is a dot engineer. he said the strike is probably going to last through to the end of september. sucks for the people that really rely on the bus. i passed by the bus barn in pearl city last night and they have picket lines setup. looks like they will be out there for a while.
08-27-2003, 08:43 PM
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I don't see any reason for small business's to have to pay a flat rate I think there should be a income cap on all state / state funded job's which would probably solve a lot of this greif we have been subjected too with the teacher's ,dock worker's&bus driver's so leave the small business's alone we have more than our fair share of taxe's also.