Emery-Go-Round Back Peddles On Funding Sources

Funding: Emery-Go-Round Is Dragged, 

Kicking & Screaming

Opinion
The free bus service in Emeryville, Emery Go Round, has acquiesced over charges made recently by the Tattler that the company has been disingenuous with regard to its funding sources.  The transportation company changed its website today to reflect the fact, publicly revealed by the Tattler last week, that the City of Emeryville helps fund the bus service and that Emery Go Round's previous proclamations that it is solely a function of business in Emeryville is in error.  It appears that the bus company is starting to correct the formerly inaccurate information with its website.  
From the 'about' section on the website:

"The Emery Go-Round shuttle is a free, private transportation service, open to all Emeryville residents, shoppers, visitors and employees of Emeryville businesses. The the (sic) vast majority of funding for the Emery Go-Round shuttle is provided by commercial property owners in the citywide transportation business improvement district."

The top masthead of the website still proclaims that the service is provided by Emeryville's businesses.  The buses themselves also still proclaim the service is provided by Emeryville's businesses.  A complete list of contributors, including the City of Emeryville and the Emery Unified School District can be found at the Emeryville Property Owners Association website HERE.

We find it perplexing and (darkly) humorous that Emery Go Round is being brought to this public acknowledgment of the facts, kicking and screaming.  The new text on the website tells it all; the reticence for this company to give any credit to the people of Emeryville is obvious in the selection of the words, "vast majority of funding" coming from commercial property owners.  The publicly funded Emery Go Round could have instead said a more congenial and truthful, "funded by businesses and the City of Emeryville".  
We wonder why the company is so loath to give the people of Emeryville credit for their contributions. We're left with our suspicions: Emery Go Round is wont to forward their meme about the sacrosanct nature of private enterprise and the fallacy that government can be a source for solutions. 

The Chairman of the Board of Directors for Emery Go Round, Peter Oswald told the Tattler  the Board would "look into" changing the signage on the buses to include listing the City of Emeryville among the funding sources.

We look forward to the government funded Emery Go Round fully crediting everyone who makes the service possible.  We'll be watching to see if the bus signage is changed to reflect the horrible, uncomfortable truth they can't seem to fully acknowledge.