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Littrell faces Richie for Position 4 on RVTD board Natalie Richie, left, Stan Littrell Monday May 1, 2017 at 12:01 AM Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune The race for Position 4 on the Rogue Valley Transportation District board matches 63-year-old Medford resident Stan Littrell, a 13-year transit board veteran, against 52-year-old Natalie Richie of Ashland, who says no one in her family has ever ridden an RVTD bus. Littrell, a blind genealogy specialist and regular patron of public transportation, says he offers a perspective from disabled passengers, while Richie detailed concerns in her Voters' Pamphlet entry about taxpayers paying excessively for services they don't necessarily use. "I've worked hard to be a positive influence for the board," said Littrell, who was appointed to the board in 2004. "I've tried to represent the needs of not only people with disabilities but also the community at large. I'm totally blind, and I represent a constituency that hardly runs for office or seeks to get involved." "The Rogue Valley as a whole has a large senior and disabled population. What I bring to the table is that I represent a constituency that needs to be heard. But I'm also very keen on the need for fiscal responsibility. That's always been the cornerstone of why I've wanted to continue to serve on the RVTD board." Littrell said he hoped to see the district expand its reach to ensure all residents have access to a "vibrant and healthy public transit system" in order to benefit the community and economy as a whole. Richie did not return calls from the Mail Tribune, but information she provided for the Voters' Pamphlet show a focus on careful spending and providing public transit without putting unnecessary burden on taxpayers who don't use the service. Richie, who listed her occupation as "business owner; dog trainer/behavior consultant," and her occupational background as "bookkeeping, house keeper," called for separation of "taxpayer funded necessities from special interest niceties." "This year alone, my family paid $175 in taxes toward the Rogue Valley Transit (sic) District, and not one of us has ever stepped foot on an RVTD bus," she wrote. "That does not include the taxes we pay toward intergovernmental grants — hidden taxes — received by RVTD. Fares paid by riders cover a tiny fraction of the costs of RVTD. ... I want to explore if those who use the service should perhaps have more skin in the game and pay their fair share, so those who do not use RVTD can save their money to spend on goods and services they need."