Joe Hill Takes a look at the Budget Message From Ken Hamm.
LTD Management does not understand what's happening around them now, because they have their eyes fixed on the spotlight they want to stand in, for the BRT Money Pit supposed technical accomplishment. There are a lot of contradictions in this message, and some very interesting conclusions by the District. We, the workers, have targets on our backs for sure. Want to look into their minds, or even scarier, their hearts? Then read this years budget message. It predicts our near future. I have decided to make this kind of dialog review of the budget message. Since Hamm and Helleson signed it together, I will refer to their part as "Hamm from Hell." Commentary by Joe Hill is my part. Use Rish Text, because the fonts are in color.
This is a long read, but if you want to know what they're thinking, then read what they write to themselves. Check it out!
Solidarity forever,
Joe Hill
April 28, 2004
TO: Lane Transit District Budget Committee
FROM: Kenneth P. Hamm, General Manager
Diane W. Hellekson, Budget Officer
SUBJECT: FY 2004-2005 Budget Message
INTRODUCTION
Hamm From Hell: Fiscal year 2003-2004 has been challenging for Lane Transit District and for its partners in community service. Despite some small signs that the economy might start to grow, unemployment remained relatively high and revenues that support Lane Transit District operations continue to be flat.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (If the operations fund was able to retain the $7 million it had in 2001, this period of flat revenues could rely on "the rainy day fund." In 1981, LTD laid off 20% of the workers. The management at that time said that this was unacceptable to the service delivery and employees. Too bad the current management squandered away the rainy day fund, and doesn't care about our mission today of "being at your service" or care about employees
Hamm From Hell: The task of balancing operating expenses to the resources available has become more difficult. Long-term financial viability requires that operating expenses grow at a rate less than or equal to tax revenues.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (sometimes you have to use what you save up, and not rely on current revenues. Rainy day planning expects the ups and downs of the economy. But these Bush supporters refused to admit the economy was in a recession)
Hamm From Hell: Tax revenues have been flat for the last three years.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Well yeah, Bush destroyed the economy! Sorry Walt, but it is true. By the way, how big was your tax cut? Bet Hamm’s was bigger! His tax cut, that is.)
Hamm From Hell: At the same time, wages, health benefit costs, and fuel expenses have increased. The result has been a need to make difficult decisions about service levels, staffing levels, and the level of investment in employee development.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Yes, because Team LTD is an employer of choice. What this means to the team is that some employees get chosen for different roles. "Choice cut" employees get the goodies, and union employee get ground for hamburger.)
Hamm From Hell: Balance is the budget theme for FY 2004-2005. Not only must LTD balance each of its separate funds in accordance with state law, we also must balance the needs of the present with those of the future, a challenging assignment in the face of constrained resources.
Commentary by Joe Hill: ((Not if you believe in what you are doing already! When the management talks about the future, they are talking about the money pit BRT plan, the loss leader Breeze Shuttle (a route but just by another name), two tiered pay plans, big benefit cuts, less time off, more control of your life by canceling days off for football, and taking the employees for granted).
Hamm From Hell: With the payroll tax as the primary revenue source, LTD has had to trim service, as local payrolls declined and leveled off.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Not if you had kept the rainy day fund intact)
Hamm From Hell: Demand for a fixed-route and demand-response service increases every year, particularly during times of economic downturns and high fuel prices, both conditions that exist in Lane County.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (So let me get this right; fuel prices are up – good for getting more riders –oh, oops guests - you would think. The economy is down, with fewer jobs, and congestion is up. Huh? Ridership is up and we are going to cut service by 4%??!!! You have got to be kidding)
Hamm From Hell: Balancing the community's immediate transportation needs with the community's long-term needs is an ongoing, challenging exercise, even in the best of times. Making no investment in the future is not an option.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Translation, BRT, the money pit, is more important than anything, since "NO INVESTMENT IS NOT OPTION." Sure it is. It's called 'delaying the future' because the present economy has slowed down, including jobs and community growth. Maybe delay or even cancel BRT. Maybe delay or not buy Ride Source facilities. Is it our fault that the Ride Source subcontractor has crappy facilities? Maybe we buy less fancy buses for the future – like consider some that work, or donut catch on fire, for starters)
Hamm From Hell: As road congestion increases, it will cost more to provide a static level of service. The only answer is to increase capacity on major travel corridors.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (I guess this why the #11 bus frequency was cut, and other service frequencies have been cut.)
Hamm From Hell: New roads are not an option. Widening existing roads is not an option. Efforts to discourage single-occupant motor vehicles could help but will not solve the problem, nor prevent it from getting worse over time. In the long-term, a significant capital investment will be needed to prevent the consequences of neglecting the regional transportation system and avoid the gridlock, smog, noise, and lengthy travel times found in many cities.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Johnny Carson's 'Carnak' could predict better than these managers. NO kidding we can't widen or make more roads. I did not know LTD could do that anyway. Capacity is the ONLY answer. Wow, are these folks smart. They cut service (you know –capacity) and plan for the future. Excuse me, but this seems dumb. But then, I'm "just a dumb ol’ bus driver")
Hamm From Hell: The challenges will continue. Controlling the growth of operating expenses, while continuing to provide essential service, will require new approaches. Long-term financial viability will require strict control of all expenditures while actively pursuing opportunities to increase revenues.
THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS (The blah, blah, blah section)
Budget development is a year-round activity. Almost as soon as a new budget is adopted, work begins on the components of the next one. Capital projects lists are reviewed and revised in early fall, and operating trend analyses and projections are prepared for a senior management two-day work session. This year, the staff Leadership Council work session was held in October, and the product framed the issues and next steps, and prepared the Board of Directors and Leadership Council work session held in November. (Yada Yada Yada)
Hamm From Hell: At the November Board and Leadership Council work session, participants considered opportunities possible for increasing General Fund revenue, as well as opportunities to reduce expenses without affecting service.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Ah, now we know who formed the conspiracy to sock it to the workers. That's right, bosses who make twice as much as the highest paid union employee, and Board members who are lead around by the nose by these highly paid planning disasters.)
Hamm From Hell: Members of the Board of Directors affirmed that maintaining stable fixed-route service during a period of uncertainty and transition was a high priority.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Yes, we are so sure they did.)
Hamm From Hell: It also is important to keep public transportation accessible by maintaining both appropriate pricing and route scheduling policies. The focuses developed from the work session and from subsequent meetings include the following:
Commentary by Joe Hill: (WHAT? This is a direct contradiction to what Hamm will say in the paragraphs that follow.)
Hamm From Hell: Revenue
· Hold cash fare prices at FY 2003-2004 rates, which are the same as FY 2002-2003. The sharp increases implemented in FY 2002-2003 were intended to position fare prices for a multi-year period.
· Phase out the discounts on three-month pass sales, eventually eliminating this form of fare instrument.
· Eliminate five-count packaged token sales, but retain bulk packaged tokens for machine sales and for sales to social service agencies.
· Eliminate wholesale discounts to agencies.
· Analyze payroll tax compliance rates and pursue tax recovery.
· Recertify Reduced Fare Program participants.
· Increase group pass contract rates.
· Increase the Breeze shuttle service fare to $.50. (Why the discount, still?)
· Evaluate the possibility of increasing the payroll tax rate effective January 1, 2006, from .006 to .0062. The proposed budget assumes no rate increase for FY 2004-2005 and that total annual receipts will increase by 2 percent.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (So keep this number in your head – Revenues are projected to be up 2% with no tax increase. Remember 2% of total revenue…. That means an increase of about $260,000, as we follow the money)
Hamm From Hell: Expense
· Limit the growth of personnel services expenditures to 4 percent or less.
> For administrative employees, change the actuarial funding method for contributions to the defined benefit plan to three-year smoothing. Set the annual salary range adjustment for inflation at 1 percent.
> For Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) represented employees, negotiate a new contract effective July 1, 2004, that increases total contract-defined expenditures no more than 4 percent.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (So, this is bargaining in good faith? Draw a line in the sand and say "here and no further" regardless of the facts, the bad management decisions, and the inequitable treatment between union employees and administrative employees. Wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago that a department manager wanted more retirement benefits to be given for longer service administrative employees? Thought I read that somewhere. How long has Stef worked here… but divorce is expensive… Oh well, that's not the point anyway. But the number to remember here is "no more than 4%." That is about $400,000 in rounded numbers. And this includes the cost for benefits and pay increases. Watch closely what number this matches!)
Hamm From Hell: > Explore new ways to provide health insurance benefits that encourage informed benefit use and reduce annual premium cost increases.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (This is "the make employees pay for a part of their benefits, or not give them benefits if you are part-time," that could save the company. Lets say that the result of this action saves ½% of payroll costs, that's about $50,000)
Hamm From Hell: · Continue to curtail discretionary travel and training, and prioritize all materials and services expenditures to eliminate nonessential spending.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (No more trips to Holland, darn! Or management gang parties in Las Vegas. Where's the fun going at this place? Oh yeah, I forgot the potluck Bar-B-Q on July first. Yee Haw, sounds like loads of fun. But then who went to Holland for nothing, and who were most of the party goers to Las Vegas?)
Hamm From Hell: · Trim fixed-route service by 4 percent. Utilize the new automatic vehicle locator/automatic passenger counting (AVL/APC) technology to improve overall system efficiency and maximize productivity.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Now this is interesting. Cut service by 4% - now that's our work going away either all together, or by putting in cheap labor alternatives. So lets do the math. Cut Service by 4%. That is about $400,000 (There's that number again) or even as much as $500,000. Lets just say $400,000 so we donut get too rambunctious. So there is the 4% limit for the union settlement that Hamm from Hell mentioned above. The 'hold the line to 4% increase in union labor costs' will be held to about the exact amount of the service reduction. Some call this a coincidence, but me, I call it a plan.)
Hamm From Hell: The decision to maintain as much organizational stability as possible through FY 2003-2004, and to fund about the same net fixed-route service level by utilizing General Fund working capital reserves, was made with the knowledge that, if one or more of the revenue uncertainties is not resolved in LTD’s favor, FY 2004-2005 will see major expenditure reductions with broad organizational impact.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (S’cuse me, but what the hell does this paragraph mean? It's gibberish, except for the veiled threat at the end.)
Hamm From Hell: Many of the revenue uncertainties have not been resolved.
· The payroll Tax Court case, in which LTD challenged a large refund granted by the Oregon Department of Revenue to a taxpayer last year, has not been decided, and no information is available on when a decision might be made.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (But they are counting on winning the law suit, or they are hiding even more money)
· Two of the most visible and highest cost local construction projects have slowed or stalled. Plans for the new federal courthouse are moving ahead slowly. The proposed new University of Oregon basketball arena has been shelved indefinitely due to design and cost issues.
· Few of the jobs lost due to plant closures in the last three years have been replaced by new local businesses.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Notice that the focus on this past years' highlights coming up, is on the BRT money pit.)
Hamm From Hell: FY 2003-2004 HIGHLIGHTS
Bus rapid transit remained a major focus in FY 2003-2004:
· The BRT component of future fixed-route service was named EmX.
· Engineering plans for the EmX Franklin Corridor were completed. This corridor is scheduled to be operational in the fall of 2006.
· The vehicle decision for the initial EmX corridor remained unresolved through most of the fiscal year. Due to cost issues, among other concerns, the Phileas vehicle from the Dutch
firm APTS was rejected in favor of a bus proposed by New Flyer, a U.S. manufacturer. This vehicle is a modified hybrid-electric (I hope that the modifications are made so that they will work) vehicle with doors on both sides and bridge plates to expedite boarding.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (With so much uncertainty, why don't we stick with what we do best- regular route service, greater frequencies, stronger driver input into the planning process, more attention to training and service increases with rising prices of fuel, and better marketing? Lets give up that AVL/APC system to do the job for our regular service, and let's try to be at their service.)
Hamm From Hell:
· Preliminary planning for the EmX Pioneer Parkway Corridor continues. Funding for some of the EmX Pioneer Parkway Corridor planning has been identified. Funding for build out (Jargon like "Build Out" is so much fun to use on special projects, makes you sound important) and for subsequent corridors has yet to be determined. Lane Transit District’s Board of Directors approved a fiscally constrained plan for the EmX Pioneer Parkway Corridor limiting the investment to funds available or $38 million, whichever is less.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (What!? We have no federal fund commitment, and we have our Board planning $38 million on the come? Who rolls dice like that, but LTD managers? And where is this money coming from? All this poor mouthing means that our backs and butts will be financing the future of LTD. This seems hardly fair.)
Hamm From Hell:
· Construction began on a new Springfield Station, which will be the terminus of one end of the first EmX project phase. This important investment in downtown Springfield will be operational in September 2004.
· A third EmX corridor has undergone stakeholder review. Coburg Road was the focus, but that corridor has been put on hold for future consideration. Other capital projects included the following:
· Five new articulated buses were delivered by New Flyer, which went into service on March 8, 2004 ($2,360,500).
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Less one, that burned to the ground. Hey, I thought Andy Vobora said the burned bus cost $400,000, in the Register Guard. The real price is $472,100 each ($2,360,500 divided by 5). So what if we mislead the media by $360,500 or $72,500 each. But it seems truth is becoming more and more of a rare commodity at LTD.)
Hamm From Hell:
· Land was purchased at Third Avenue and Garfield Street for the construction of a new RideSource facility ($1,294,800). Facility design was completed, and the project will go out for bid before the end of the current fiscal year. The facility is expected to be complete no later than September 2005, and possibly as early as spring of that year.
· A renovation of the Fleet facility that will streamline service processes was completed. Redesigned bays will accommodate 60-foot vehicles.
FY 2004-2005 PROGRAM FOCUS
Fiscal year 2004-2005 promises to be another challenging benchmark year for Lane Transit District. Major objectives for FY 2003-2004 include the following:
· Complete final EmX Franklin Corridor engineering and vehicle specification.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Throwing good money after bad!)
Hamm From Hell:
· Hold groundbreaking for the EmX Franklin Corridor.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (We must have a special and yet again untested vehicle to showcase our leaders in this boondoggle. Berkshire doesn't care, he is retiring soon anyway.)
Hamm From Hell:
· Complete and open the new Springfield Station.
· Complete implementation of new technology, including AVL, APC, and computer-assisted dispatch (CAD), which has been installed on all revenue vehicles.
Springfield Station
· Continue efforts to assure federal and state transportation funding.
· Evaluate and implement a payroll tax rate increase of .0002 to be effective January 2006.
· Explore the potential for enhanced revenues from current and new sources. (More cuts for workers?)
· Implement LTD’s new vision, mission, and strategic plan, including the focus on safety, efficiency, guest service, and system image.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (except this strategic plan seems to include nothing short of making the workers pay for these strategies)
Hamm From Hell:
· Implement the new LTD marketing and public relations plan.
FY 2004-2005 BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS
General Fund Revenue
· Total passenger fare revenue will increase by approximately 3.7 percent due to modest ridership gains and the elimination of some fare discounts.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Here is another $129,000 or so, that we just found in the budget… check the message on this topic further down)
Hamm From Hell:
· Payroll tax revenues will increase by 2 percent over FY 2003-2004 estimated revenues when adjusted for receipt of tax case refund.
· Self-employment taxes will increase by approximately 2 percent over FY 2003-2004 estimated revenues.
· State-in-lieu revenue will increase by 2 percent over FY 2003-2004 estimated revenues.
· Interest earnings will decrease due to low rates.
· LTD will prevail in a state Tax Court appeal and approximately $1 million of additional tax revenue would be added to General Fund revenue. The decision will be made in FY 2004-2005.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (LTD is sure about winning this law suit – good, because now there seems no reason at all to cut service and make us pay for the settlement of our next agreement by service reductions! Plus, what about the $260,000 that revenue is going to increase by this year. We're not stupid you know.)
Hamm From Hell: General Fund Expense
Personnel Services
· It is assumed that a new contractual agreement with the ATU will be finalized in the next fiscal year and that it will add no more than 4 percent to current personnel services expenditures.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Yeah yeah yeah, and we get to pay for it ourselves)
Hamm From Hell:
· The administrative employee wage and benefit package also will increase no more than 4 percent.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Nothing here about cuts in administrative service…hmmm wonder why… oh yeah, they are better than the union people because they are Team LTD.)
Hamm From Hell:
· Administrative employees will receive annual increases, if individual performance so merits, within the established position ranges on the Administrative Salary Schedule. The Administrative Salary Schedule will increase by 1 percent.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Oh those poor guys, guess they must be planning a new comp study)
· Net fixed-route service levels will decrease 4 percent from FY 2003-2004 levels.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (At your service!!!)
Hamm From Hell:
· Additional cost reduction measures may have to be considered for FY 2005-2006 in order to bring General Fund revenues and expenses into alignment.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (What the hell does alignment mean? I asked the guys in the shop but they could not figure out what this meant at all either. I am guessing that it is the "we get screwed again alignment plan")
Hamm From Hell:
· General Fund transfers to the Capital Projects Fund will resume in FY 2004-2005 in order to generate local match for federal formula funds available annually.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (ah-hah, so this is where the money we have just found in this message is going. Capital projects and grandiose plans. We found at least $1.3 million in the message above the service cuts which will go to pay for union worker contract settlement.)
Hamm From Hell:
· Future vehicle purchases may be financed with revenue bonds that will be retired using federal formula funds, requiring a local fund match of at least 20 percent of the annual debt service.
· For budget purposes, medical insurance costs are assumed to increase by 10 percent. Continuation of benefits in the form currently offered to employees would result in an increase of 20 percent or more. The proposed budget assumes that the current health insurance plans will be replaced on January 1, 2005, with plans that provide better cost controls.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Does anyone in the management even know what collective bargaining in good faith is? From this statement it is clear that Hamm from Hell has no clue. Negotiators don't bother, they just told us!!! It's take away time, everyone get ready to grab your ankles. This statement makes clear their intentions at the table. We need not even wait for their economic proposal at the table. They have announced already.)
Hamm From Hell:
Materials and Services
· Fuel prices will stabilize, but at an unprecedented high level, and are estimated to remain on average at $1.13 per gallon. Fuel for the current year is averaging $.9831 per gallon as of March 31, 2004.
· The new Springfield Station will require a net increase in operating expenses of $189,050 in FY 2004-2005 and $228,050 in FY 2005-2006. The increase is the result of additional security, maintenance costs, and utilities expense.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (What a marvelous investment… Maintenance costs that end-up costing the same as about 1.25% of the cost of providing fixed route service, without the BRT money pit)
Hamm From Hell:
· General insurance costs (workers’ compensation, vehicle, and general liability) will increase 1 percent. Non-Operating Requirements
· Capital transfers will resume in FY 2004-2005 in order to assure adequate local match for FY 2005 federal formula grant funds ($1,245,800).
Commentary by Joe Hill: ((See there it is; the $1.3 million. But why does this have to go to capital now? New bus equipment is going to be financed for the local share, according to Hamm from Hell. Why take it away from operations? Well, its ‘cause us monkeys have to pay for our own increases with cuts in service (layoffs?) and benefit cuts))
Hamm From Hell:
· Accessible Services Fund transfers will increase by approximately 15.8 percent to $1,221,730.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (So the non-union folks that are scabbing our work are getting $1.2 million? Where the hell did this money come from?)
· A new fund has been created to account for Commuter Solutions program activities. This treatment is consistent with the use of an Accessible Services Fund for demand-response services programs. The General Fund annual contribution to this fund appears as a transfer ($5,000).
· Operating reserves still will exceed the Board-specified minimum of $3 million.
Capital (Blah Blah Blah)
· The new Springfield Station, which is fully funded by federal grants with a 20 percent match, will be completed in September 2004.
· EmX development will continue. Federal funds have been earmarked for the EmX Franklin Corridor construction. The Franklin Corridor construction funding has been fully identified,
and $14.8 million has been proposed for construction, although not all of this amount will be spent in FY 2004-2005. The EmX Pioneer Parkway Corridor has been affirmed as the second project component, but funding has not yet been identified or secured.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Yeah, we know, but you guys keep spending money in planning for it, the Money Pit BRT, with no certain federal funding. Money would be better spent on planning better, and increasing less expensive fixed route regular service. Something we have proved we are good at doing. C’mon managers. tuck your egos away, and do the right thing for the District, the riders, and the taxpayers!)
Hamm From Hell: Subsequent project phases and segments have not been finalized, (no kidding! Will they ever be?) and will require funding that has yet to be determined.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (Yes, Joe Hill has already made this observation)
Hamm From Hell: The amount of $2 million has been proposed for continued planning on the second corridor beginning in FY 2004-2005.
· A total of $5 million has been requested as an appropriation for five vehicles for the first EmX corridor. Delivery of these vehicles (and placement of the debt to fund them should grant funding not materialize) most likely will occur in FY 2005-2006.
Commentary by Joe Hill: (See, the first corridor is already looking like we are not getting further federal aid for the equipment. But it is hard to stop waste, once your management cajones and egos are committed.)
Hamm From Hell:
· Construction of the new RideSource facility will commence this fall. Estimated project costs total $3.9 million.
Long-Range Financial Projections
The Long-Range Financial Plan (LRFP) exists to provide the means by which to meet long-term goals and objectives. There are essentially three main goals:
· Deliver reliable public transit service. (yeah, right)
· Offer innovative service that reduces dependency on the automobile. (Not with frequency reductions!)
· Provide progressive leadership for the community’s transportation needs. (Don't you mean 'ego driven leadership?') The revised LRFP is scheduled for Board review and action on April 21, 2004. The Capital Improvements Program (CIP) will be presented at the same meeting. Since the proposed budget materials will be finalized before the Board of Directors can take action on the two plans, staff have included the plan versions that were part of materials presented to the Board at the April 21, 2004, Board meeting. The Board of Directors on February 26, 2004, voted to accept the assumptions included in the documents in this notebook. As part of the proposed budget presentation, staff will report on any Board action taken to approve or revise the LRFP and/or the CIP.
CONCLUSION
These are times that require careful analysis and decision making. Tightly constrained resources result in difficult choices. It is imperative that we continue to look for and develop attractive transportation alternatives. It also is imperative that we find ways to increase the capacity of existing corridors. LTD has to be proactive with our community partners in these efforts, or the Eugene/Springfield area ultimately will be forced to be reactive. How aggressively we pursue proposed alternatives to traditional fixed-route service such as bus rapid transit is an ongoing decision of LTD’s Board of Directors.
LTD is proceeding with plans for the second EmX corridor (Pioneer Parkway) while building and implementing service on the first corridor (Franklin).
Commentary by Joe Hill: ('Tightly constrained resources' only because your plans are unreasonable; sinking money in the BRT Money Pit; sending money to the work-for-less, non-union subcontractor RideSource; and making a bunch of very bad decisions.)
Despite ongoing fiscal challenges, (Don't you mean 'your crappy decisions and leadership?') it has been an exciting year. The new Springfield Station will be a signature facility in downtown Springfield. New vehicles, including articulated buses, have been added to the fixed-route fleet. The Maintenance facility was remodeled. LTD is about to break ground on the EmX Franklin Corridor. LTD is closer to providing a long-term, fully adequate facility for RideSource, our demand-response service provider. LTD’s team of outstanding volunteers, fully committed staff, and dedicated community partners understand the challenges we face in delivering a vital and viable public transportation system to our service area. We believe that the budget proposed here provides the optimal balance of preserving current essential services in FY 2004-2005 while developing investments for the future.
Kenneth P. Hamm
General Manager
Diane W. Hellekson
Budget Officer
Saturday, June 12, 2004
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