April 14 was Transportation Freedom Day in the Ashland-Medford area. All of the money earned by the 'average' resident for the year up until that day -- 28% of his or her total annual income -- goes to paying for private automobile transportation. From April 15 on, we can start paying for other little things, like rent, clothing, food. There was a local event last week to make that point. It's a powerful one. I'm not sure how many people know all thatwe pay out-of-pocket for 1-car/1-passenger transportation. And if the price of oil makes the jumps that almost everyone expects, and if we don't get serious about transportation alternatives for people who can't (or don't want to) spend this kind of money on their cars--well, then, look for Transportation Freedom Day to slip into May before too long, and then June, and then...
County leadership has to get more aggressive about pulling together the best ideas and the major players who've been working hard for some good transportation choices. It's past time.
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Here's where we'd like to here from you, on this topic or others that bear on life in Jackson County. Thanks.