I’ve read a couple of articles now about “level funding” proposal for all public service agencies in Sanford, which apparently means that YCCAC would not receive the additional, extremely reasonable increase request of $18,380 over last year ”“ not a huge amount of money when one considers what’s at stake.

Without it, the current schedule of our one and only Sanford Transit bus would be cut in half, thereby restricting the many citizens who rely on it for their shopping trips, etc. There are many regular riders, and many like myself who use it on occasion. Other equally sized and populated cities in York County have far better transit service, so it would seem that the least we can do is maintain our current level of bus service, especially when it involves such a small investment.

It’s also been recently reported that recycling is up 20 percent, bringing our total recycling rate to an impressive 40 percent, saving the city nearly $24,000 over same time last year in the first two months of 2014, which is $5,000 more than the increase needed to keep our current transit service level. So you can think of it as a reward for Sanford residents doing the right thing on recycling and you’re still $5,000 ahead.

We’re all excited about Sanford’s renaissance, and have high hopes of great things coming. Our mayor has requested our ideas. Mine would be, let’s show all looking toward Sanford for investment purposes that we care enough about our residents who rely on bus transit by at least making sure we maintain our current level of service.

YCCAC is a nonprofit that does an amazing amount of good work for the people of our community in many areas, not just transportation, and have had a difficult year themselves, as we’ve all read in the papers.

I hope you give this request some serious consideration.

-Bill Thomas, Sanford