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» To Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley Regarding MARC Service CutsNovember 25, 2008 The Honorable Martin O’Malley Dear Governor O’Malley: Please ask MARC to review (a) its policy of shutting down all service on selected non-holidays, and (b) the offsetting possibility of a fare increase, which I understand you told them to avoid. On November 20 around 8:10 PM, I testified in Brunswick against the MARC service cuts (my written statement is enclosed). I criticized the dictum against raising fares even though MARC has some of the nation’s lowest commuter railroad fares and these fares have been raised only once in the last 13 years (also unusual among commuter railroads). After I spoke, a young man who probably had never testified at a hearing before came hesitatingly to the podium to protest the shutdown of MARC on non-holidays. He does not own a car and had moved to Brunswick because MARC trains take him to his job working for Montgomery County. He needs to get to work the day after Thanksgiving, but MARC plans not to operate then and on many other non-holidays. Many people must work on these non-holidays. Alternate arrangements, such as a taxi or motel near work, may cost them a lot more than would a carefully crafted fare increase. Perhaps the “holiday schedule” should have fewer trains, but canceling all service on days when many of your commuters must work is cruel, and bad policy. Thank you for considering this request. Sincerely, Ross B. Capon |
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