Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) yesterday sent letters to state and federal officials seeking funding support for the City of Lakewood to keep the popular Lakewood Circulator operational.  Citing financial problems, RTA recently announced their intention to eliminate the Circulator service, prompting an outcry from Lakewood City Schools whose students rely on the Lakewood Circulator for transportation to and from school. Lakewood Mayor FitzGerald agreed to take over the operation of the service, but did not anticipate the expense and needs financial support.  

Kucinich sent the following letter to the Regional Administrator of the Federal Transit Authority, Marisol Simon; the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education, Thomas Kelley; Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, Eric Fingerhut; and Ohio Governor Ted Strickland:

August 24, 2009

The Honorable Ted Strickland

Governor of Ohio

77 South High Street

Columbus, Ohio 43215-6108

Dear Governor Strickland: 

As you may know, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is having serious financial problems and is making draconian cuts to public transit in Cuyahoga County, including its popular Circulator service. In addition to other needy population groups, the Lakewood Circulator serves the schoolchildren of Lakewood. 

Until now, the Lakewood City Schools have not needed to employ school bus transit. However, with RTA's announcement that the Circulator would be stop running as of September 20, 2009, the schoolchildren of Lakewood find themselves without transportation to and from school. This comes at a time when children are returning to school after summer break. Unfortunately, the school district did not anticipate RTA's action to eliminate the pupils' means of school transit. I am enclosing a letter that the Superintendent of the Lakewood City Schools sent to RTA discussing the difficulties and hardship the loss of the Circulator will cause his pupils. 

The Mayor of Lakewood has come forward and offered to continue to run the Lakewood Circulator. However, the City of Lakewood did not anticipate this added expense and seeks funding to take on this service. I applaud his action and pledged my support in any way. I am seeking any means to ensure the City of Lakewood is able to provide this service to its schoolchildren in light of the sudden withdrawal of service by its regional transit authority. I ask that any funding for school transit be made immediately available to the City of Lakewood so that the children of Lakewood can continue to have transportation to and from their schools. I will follow up with you soon to discuss this matter. Thank you for your consideration of this matter of great importance to the schoolchildren of Lakewood, Ohio. 

Sincerely,

Dennis J. Kucinich

Member of Congress

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