EVERETT, Wash. - To be Chelsie Bowden is to spend a lot of time waiting.
"I ride the bus multiple times a day, pretty much every day of the week," she said. "It's either plan to wait, or sit at home and do nothing all day."
Chelsie is blind. The 27-year old massage therapist and her guide dog "Valley" rely on Community Transit's "DART" buses to get around.
"I take it all over to run my business, to do errands for my business, to run personal errands," she said.
Slumping sales tax revenue has left Community Transit with multi-million dollar budget hole.
To fill it, CT has proposed several cuts, including the elimination of DART on Sundays and most holidays.
"I might not be able to go to recreational events or go see my family on holidays," said Bowden.
At a public hearing on Tuesday, ct got an earful from DART riders, many of whom say they only ride on Sundays.
"They're isolating us completely," said one rider.
"This takes away practically every bit of recreation I have," said Jenny Anderson.
Community Transit's CEO Joyce Eleanor says she understands the frustration, but the tough economy has left some tough choices.
"None of us want to see this happen, all the way from the board of directors to the people that answer the phone, we do not want to do this," said Eleanor.
Like so many, Chelsie Bowden hopes CT can balance its budget in way that doesn't lack compassion.
"And really doesn't forget those that can't jump in a car and go anywhere, anytime they want," said Bowden.
Community Transit is also proposing at 25 cent fare hike and hoping the legislature passes $20 a year vehicle license tax to help fill their budget gap.
That could affect what's cut. CT's board of directors will make a decision in March.
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