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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Theater review: 'Inherit the Wind' misses the mark ... Guarding against the bias virus ... ScienceWorks' executive director gets new job in Pittsburgh ... Theater review: 'Inherit the Wind' misses the mark ... Guarding against the bias virus ... ScienceWorks' executive director gets new job in Pittsburgh ... GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: Transit benefits us all Comment By Allen Hallmark DailyTidings.com By Allen Hallmark Posted May. 2, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Allen Hallmark Posted May. 2, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News As a strong supporter of our local bus service, the Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD), I’ve been riding buses recently, chatting to bus riders and taking photos of those who give me permission to post them on Rogue Valley Transit Now’s Facebook page. (Rogue Valley Transit Now is the campaign organization set up to promote Measure 15-141 on the May election ballot.) If voters pass the measure, RVTD will add back Saturday service, which had to be eliminated a couple of years ago because a grant that paid for it ran out and it is something so many bus riders want restored. A “yes” vote on the measure will also allow for two new routes and will allow more frequent service on Route 10, the most popular route that runs between Medford and Ashland and serves Phoenix and Talent as well. Route 10 buses will come along every 20 minutes instead of every half hour. “So what?” you may ask. “I don’t ride the bus and I don’t know anyone who does.” I’m here to tell you that even if you never ride the bus, it is in your best interest to vote “yes” for Measure 15-141 to stabilize RVTD’s financial health and keep the buses running regularly far into the future. Especially the long-term health of the city of Ashland and its businesses are at stake. It is well known that it is not inexpensive to live in Ashland, especially if you failed to purchase your home decades ago when property values were much lower than they are today. I’m guessing that many of the employees of the many fine restaurants, art galleries and other nice shops that cater to the tourist trade in Ashland can’t afford to live in this fine city. Without local financial support from the community in the form of tax revenue, our valuable bus service is going to slowly wither and die on the vine, which will make it much more difficult for business owners to find employees, for students to get to Southern Oregon University and for disabled Ashlanders do their shopping and get to medical appointments. There is a concept, which is gaining more and more currency and with which I think most of you are familiar. It’s called “the Commons,” and it refers to all the cultural and natural resources available to all members of a society, which are held in common, not owned privately. Like access to clean water, air, food, public parks and education, I think access to inexpensive public transportation in population centers like ours should be considered part of our commons that we citizens have a moral duty to make available to everyone in our area. Take a ride on an RVTD bus, talk to your fellow riders and you’ll see just how valued that service really is. Want another reason to vote “yes” for Measure 15-141? How about the fact that by riding public transit, the number of cars on our streets and highways is reduced and the amount of pollution created is also reduced. So, even if you never ride an RVTD bus, I hope you will go to the campaign website for Measure 15-141 at www.roguevalleytransitnow.org and find out more about the measure, sign up to endorse and participate in the campaign, read the information that's in your Voter’s Pamphlet and then vote yes in the May election to make our public transit system something we can be proud of. Allen Hallmark Talent By Allen Hallmark DailyTidings.com By Allen Hallmark Posted May. 2, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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