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BREAKING: Voters in Weston Say Yes to Bus Service

Updated: Tue 9:36 PM, Jun 05, 2012

With 63 percent of the votes and all precincts reporting, voters in Weston say they would like to see bus service restored in the village.

Bus services were cut six months ago, and bus supporters have been fighting the decision ever since. Tuesday, voters were asked if the village should adopt an ordinance to provide at least five days of public transit service beginning in January.

Because of budget restraints, the board previously voted to cut Weston's only bus route.

"We did everything we could to make the budget work and we just didn't have money for the bus service," said Village President Fred Schuster.

Bus supporters have been doing everything they can to bring back the route, even taking the issue to the courts. A Marathon County judge ruled that the referendum be placed on the June 5th special election ballot.

Saturday and Sunday, the Everyone Has a Place in Weston Committee, went door-to-door throughout the community to try and convince people to vote.

But Schuster says even if voters decide they want bus services, he doesn't know how the village will pay for it. "If we don't have the money, the buses aren't going to roll," he said.

Schuster says constituents and the village board would then have to decide whether funding public transit would merit making cuts to other services, including police and fire.

The board has projected the cost to run the bus route would be $130,000. Schuster says it's also likely the village's state funding will be cut next year.


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