One distinction will be an influx of new information from both sides of the argument, with a flurry of information coming from the mayor's office and Madison Metro this week and more expected from opponents of the increase as well.

A somewhat unexpected change from December, however, is that the commission will be without one of its longest-serving members. Kevin Hoag, a University of Wisconsin-Madison engineering professor who was appointed to the Transit and Parking Commission more than seven years ago under Mayor Sue Bauman, resigned from the commission in late December.

Hoag was one of the seven commission members who voted in favor of rejecting a fare increase at the December commission meeting and notably had written a long response detailing his decision that went out on several list-servs.

Hoag said commission members were surprised by resignation, although he had already stated intentions to leave the commission by this spring. He chose to leave a few months early when it became clear the bus fare issue would continue.

"To be honest, and why I felt this was actually a good time to resign, when I wrote that and how people responded to it, it became clear that people were treating my concerns very seriously, and I kind of felt that I said what I needed to say about it," he said. "I felt it was the most I could contribute."

Hoag's departure leaves one vacancy on the commission, which has nine voting members and two alternates. The first alternate, UW law professor Kenneth Strait, will vote in Hoag's place.

Strait said in an interview he was in favor of the bus fare increase at the last meeting and continues to be. The Transit and Parking Commission does not have authority over Madison Metro's budget beyond service reductions, and Strait said he did not think it was appropriate to "micromanage" the Metro budget by suggesting other cuts.

Still, Strait said his vote would be somewhat conditional on a low-income fare option for those who cannot afford the increase, and he would also like to see a change in how cash fares are increased. Metro cash fares often take longer to adjust than multiride or unlimited ride passes because the city generally waits until a 25- or 50-cent increase is warranted, making the increase look more dramatic.

"One of the problems that you have with the cash fare is all the other ways you do the fares. We allow for a much smaller annual increase, although it might steadily be a 50 percent increase over 10 years," Strait said, whereas the 50 percent increase at one time for cash fares lends itself to the commission "shooting itself in the foot."

Hoag said he left the commission on good terms with Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.

"My staying on does not keep a vote on one side," he said. "I felt that the mayor was addressing things, but there are still some people who are working from a more antagonistic place, and I didn't really want to get caught in the middle of that."

On Dec. 23, the mayor sent a memo to commission members as well as City Council members thanking Hoag for his service to the commission. The letter complimented Hoag, saying his "experience, expertise and thoughtful consideration of the issues will be deeply missed," and made a point to address Hoag's earlier memo issue by issue.

In the earlier memo, Hoag said he was concerned about parking fees not increasing in parallel with bus fares, which would incentivize driving, as well as how a fare increase from $1.50 to $2 for adult cash fares would affect low-income riders.

The mayor's letter said parking fee increases are scheduled for this year but cannot be implemented at meters until after the winter.

Cieslewicz has also already met with several advocates for a low-income bus fare this week, discussing options such as one presented by Lisa Subeck, formerly of the YWCA, for determining low-income riders who could earn a lower fare.

"That was definitely one starting point," mayoral spokeswoman Rachel Strauch-Nelson said. "The mayor was really impressed with her proposal."

Strauch-Nelson said at least a preliminary low-income bus fare plan likely will be available by next Tuesday. In addition to that proposal, the mayor's office sent out a list of service cuts prepared by Madison Metro that included cutting Sunday service from 16 hour to eight hours per day, cutting service on all major holidays, eliminating five driver positions and cutting new services by $150,000. The service cuts would make up for a $762,000 budget deficit that increased fares were projected to fill, although opponents questioned whether ridership would remain high enough after the increase to fill that gap.

The mayor does not support the service cuts but asked Madison Metro staff to prepare a list to demonstrate the gravity of the decision to commission members, Strauch-Nelson said.

Ald. Brian Solomon, one of the commission's strongest opponents of a bus fare increase, said he still supports the commission's original decision to deny the bus fare increase.

Solomon said he would be in favor a low-income fare, particularly without a fare increase, but acknowledged it may provide limited help because it would have to define a standard of poverty, such as 150 percent of the federal poverty line.

"What if you're at 170 percent or 190 percent? That's still the working poor," he said. "Does it help? Of course it does, but I'm still concerned there are people who are hurting who are going to fall through those cracks."

Besides low-income fares and parking fees, Solomon said there are still a number of reasons not to support a bus fare increase, such the potential impact on the environment, air quality, congestion and road conditions if more begin to drive.

Solomon said he would come prepared to Tuesday's meeting with more data to support his position, but that he's hoping for a "respectful" discussion.

One of the six members still on the commission who voted in favor of rejecting the bus fare increase will have to move reconsideration at Tuesday's meeting. If reconsideration fails or the commission again votes down a bus fare increase, Strauch-Nelson said the mayor will be appealing the decision to the City Council, which voted 12-8 in favor of passing a Metro budget that included funds from a fare increase.
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