As the KC Bus Riders Union, we know how important having fast, frequent public transit is: we rely on it to commute to our jobs, run errands, access health care, visit friends and family: in short, we need public transit to live our everyday lives. With our bus system facing a reported $22 million budget gap, WE NEED YOU to demand that our leaders on the Kansas City City Council pass Councilman Bunch's budget amendment to allocate an additional $6 million to the KCATA.

Despite its necessity for thousands of Kansas Citians, the bus system in Kansas City remains underfunded and the KCATA (Kansas City Area Transportation Authority) keeps reducing service due to this lack of funding. Bus riders in Kansas City are sadly accustomed to these devastating route cuts and service infrequency, but this latest round of proposed cuts will be the most catastrophic yet: if the KCATA does not receive more funding from Kansas City, one-third of routes will be cut, including almost all of weekend service.

The currently proposed Kansas City budget leaves a $22 million dollar gap in KCATA funding, and diverts $8.7 million dollars from the Public Mass Transportation sales tax — a voter-approved 1/2-cent sales tax for public transportation — towards Public Works projects that have nothing to do with public transit: buying streetlights and resurfacing roads. That $8.7 million should be spent on Public Mass Transportation: that's what the voters approved when the tax was passed! Councilman Bunch's amendment would give KCATA an additional $6 million, lessening the blow and shortening the funding gap.

Public transit is one of the greatest investments that a city can make. It enables workers, young people, and folks of differing abilities to get to work, to school, to the doctor, and to see their friends and family without the budget-draining burden of owning a car. A convenient and functional public transit system also enables less car traffic, less tailpipe, brake pad and tire emissions, and less wear-and-tear on our roads — which means less street resurfacing is needed.

The KC City Council would rather keep the status quo of keeping our roads overbuilt and stuffed with cars than fund alternative transportation options that are more sustainable and accessible. We cannot allow this to continue. Bus riders need our elected officials in Kansas City to fund our buses now!

Send an email before the KCMO budget is finalized on March 26th.