Opinion by Daniel Borenstein : mercurynews – excerpt
Fares, violent crime rising, ridership declining at political, dysfunctional agency
BART’s new inspector general will have a tough challenge unraveling the transit system’s financial and operational dysfunction that includes declining ridership, increasing violent crime and long-term budget shortfalls.
The question is whether the district’s board will let her do her job.
Harriet Richardson, former Palo Alto city auditor, will be the first inspector general of the transit agency, which began service nearly 47 years ago and is scheduled to start running trains to north San Jose late this year. She starts work Aug. 5 and will have a $1 million annual budget…(more)