CPT and Black Spring CLE Demand Increased Funding for RTA Service, No More for Transit Police
Organizers Join National Day of Action, Call on GCRTA and Federal Government to “Trust Riders, Fund Transit”
Cleveland, OH, October 6, 2020
Today, Clevelanders for Public Transit (CPT) and Black Spring CLE (BSC) join a national campaign to “Trust Riders, Fund Transit” by investing in more transit service, and less over-policing of its riders. Members of both groups are calling on Congress to approve $32 billion in urgently needed emergency aid for public transit systems around the nation while demanding the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority reallocate funds from transit police to provide more service and lower fares. Members of both groups will be on Public Square today from 4-7 p.m. reaching out to other riders and available to the media.
RTA fares have doubled while service has been reduced by over 25% over the past 15 years. The RTA says they have no choice because of “budget constraints.” Despite budget woes, RTA has expanded their transit police force from 25 officers in 1977 to over 125 full-time officers with an annual budget over $14,000,000.
Today marks the first action taking place throughout October commemorating a municipal court ruling 3 years ago ordering RTA transit police to end unconstitutional searches and instead use civilian ambassadors for fare enforcement on the HealthLine. Other cities such as San Francisco have used transit ambassadors for years.
“Cleveland deserves a robust transit system, a just and equitable transit system, one free of militarized officers shaking down the public.
Black Spring Cleveland is proud to be partnering with Clevelanders for Public Transit to abolish the GCRTA Police and establish a transit ambassador program to attend to the needs of riders and drivers alike. Today is a first step.”
— Josiah Quarles, Black Spring Cleveland
Today is also a continuation of BSC’s “Abolish the Overlap” campaign, seeking to reduce unnecessary police jurisdiction overlap and better allocate tax dollars. Both organizations join other riders around the country in today’s day of action coordinated by Transit Riders of the United States Together (TRUST), a national network of over a dozen transit rider organizations.
CPT and Black Spring CLE will reunite for a virtual town hall on Oct. 29 to observe the three-year anniversary of the court decision declaring fare enforcement by RTA transit police unconstitutional by infringing upon riders’ Fourth Amendment rights. More information and registration for the event is available at clefortransit.org .
Federal funding is necessary to rescue transit during this global pandemic, but riders must have a say in how that money is used. Any additional federal relief for GCRTA must be allocated toward increasing transit service and providing fare relief as opposed to funding transit police.
###
Clevelanders for Public Transit is a riders’ organization that builds power for affordable, accessible and equitable public transit in Northeast Ohio. For more information, visit clefortransit.org or find us on Facebook or Twitter