Karen Langley, Executive Director of Family Eldercare in Austin, wrote the following letter to the editor of the Austin American-Statesman. The letter appeared in this morning’s newspaper.

Bravo to Cap Metro’s Gómez

Re: Oct. 31 editorial “Fare hike requires leadership.”

Bravo to Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gómez, who is also Capital Metro board chairwoman.

Thank goodness she is leading the way on good public policy regarding taxes, fees and charges and looking after those who can least afford to pay — those living on fixed incomes. The elderly and people with disabilities pay a disproportionate amount of their income on basic living costs compared with the rest of us.

It is very important to those of us who work with low-income elderly and people with disabilities that they are assisted with no-cost transportation services. To attempt to balance the Cap Metro budget on those least able to pay makes for poor public policy and will result in paying more in other transportation services contracts.

Karen Langley
Executive director, Family Eldercare
klangley@familyeldercare.org
Austin