So far, the stimulus package has served as a bailout for many irresponsible government agencies at the state and local level across the nation, which previously allowed their budgets to spiral out of control. But don’t expect gratitude: In the San Francisco Bay Area, though, the 19 local transit agencies seem dissatisfied with their level of funding.
The $70 million in federal funds that Bay Area transit agencies will split since the money was diverted from BART’s Oakland Airport Connector won’t stop service cuts or layoffs, solve budget problems or go very far toward filling vast deficits. Rather than being a huge windfall, transit officials said, receiving the unexpected allotment of federal stimulus funds is more like a destitute person finding a $100 bill on the sidewalk.
“One might think there’s $70 million going to the transit system that’s going to do a lot of good,” said Randy Rentschler, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. “But I would urge people to think about the numbers, about the huge deficits.”
