Emery-Go-Round Falsifies Funding Sources

"Funded Exclusively By Emeryville's Businesses" Is A Phony Canard

Opinion
The Emeryville Chamber Of Commerce wants everyone to know this: The city's free bus service, the Emery Go Round, is funded solely by Emeryville's business.
It's a popular sentiment repeated all over town, it's even painted on the buses themselves.  The problem is it's a lie.

A recent budget report from the city of Emeryville tells a different tale entirely.  The real story is that the taxpayers of Emeryville helped fund the Emery Go Round to the tune of more than $80,000 last year.  From the report:

• City of Emeryville paid $43,389.36
• Emery School District  paid $28,199.74
• City Redevelopment Agency  paid $9,033.88

In addition the report says AC Transit and the US Post Office are also assessed.

Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce, a partner with the popular bus service, is spreading the falsehood far and wide:  The "B Line", Berkeley's Municipal Transit System claims on their website "Emery Go Round receives 100% of its funding from businesses".
Emery Go Round's own website flatly states "Funded solely by commercial property owners in the citywide transportation business improvement district", cutting out the people of Emeryville's contributions entirely.

It seems to be all part the on going attempt to falsely stoke the bogus canard about the infallibility of market forces and the attendant ubiquitous claims generally discrediting government.  We say if Emery Go Round can't seem to give credit where it's due, perhaps the people of Emeryville should save their contributions for more appreciative recipients.

Paid for by the people of Emeryville