Public transportation is neither a privilege nor a right; it's a duty.
Decent people ride the bus because it is the responsible thing to do: It's good for the ozone, good for gasoline supply and good for our roadways. It also contributes to the integration of society as one rubs shoulders with individuals one might not otherwise encounter.
Public transportation is also a justice issue. If there is going to be public transportation, everyone must have access to it. There are desperately poor people who, already thrown off welfare, will lose the menial jobs into which they have been forced because they will have no way to get to them.
If public money can be found for the Port Authority's North Shore Connector, which nobody needs, then our elected officials can find money for public transport. And if not, they can expect to be dealt with by the voters in the same way as the legislators who voted themselves a pay raise.
Miklos MikitaSquirrel Hill
