3 min read Raising the price of getting on the bus is an attack on bus riders living in poverty and those hovering on the edge of living in poverty. To raise the fares (Mr. Ortega is proposing 10 cents this year and 15 cents next year) would truly be balancing the budget on the backs of poor people. The projected revenue to be gained (approximately $400,000 this year) is an illusion because it will be offset by decreased ridership. The bureaucrats and the elected officials know that decreased ridership occurs with fare increases and significant service cuts. It does not make sense