Los Angeles residents looking for “green” ways to get around the city may soon find themselves with no option but to climb back into their cars, as the Los Angeles Department of Transportation prepares to cut DASH, Cityride, and Commuter Express lines.

Tuesday night, as the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) began its series of public hearings on the proposed cuts to services, Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, 5th District, joined several dozen local residents in voicing his opposition to the cuts, which include the elimination of several DASH, Cityride, and Commuter Express lines.

“The city is under siege as far as the budget and the dire economic situation, and we’re confronted with difficult, often sad choices,” Koretz said.

Koretz expressed particular opposition to the proposed elimination of the Fairfax DASH line. Currently, the Fairfax line runs down Fairfax Avenue from Wilshire Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard, with stops near museums, senior centers, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Fairfax High School, The Grove, and the Original Farmers Market.

“The cuts to these lines affect the most vulnerable Angelenos, our seniors,” Koretz said. “We’re going to try to raise some of the needed funds by trying to reach out to some of our district’s largest businesses and institutions, since they employ many people who rely on public transportation. I’d also consider such sources as discretionary funds, though we’ll have to see what survives the current budget cuts.”

Koretz proposed that several destinations on the line, including Cedars-Sinai, The Grove, and several locations in West Hollywood, could help contribute to keeping the line in operation. He also said several West Hollywood councilmembers had called his office to address their concerns about the elimination of the Fairfax line. He said he could raise up to $30,000 to keep the line in operation, and pledged $10,000 out of his own office’s budget if necessary, though he acknowledges that his discretionary funds, too, could be a casualty of budget cuts.

It’s unclear, however, what options LADOT has, as the department—like so many others in the City of Los Angeles — struggles to balance its budget. Bruce Gilman, public information officer for LADOT, acknowledged that the department is required to hold the kind of public hearings that began this week. He added, however, that, despite the dearth of options, it’s important to hear from the public. LADOT has also set up a website (http://ladotbl.tmdinc.net/index.html) where people can comment on the proposed cuts.

“We don’t have a lot of options,” Gilman said. “If a cup holds two ounces of water and everyone wants to pour four ounces into the cup, guess where two of those ounces are going to go. But we can’t live in a vacuum, and it’s important to give people the opportunity to share their thoughts. It could be we overlooked something that they’ll bring to our attention.”

Tuesday’s meeting — which was designed to serve the whole Westside of Los Angeles — was held at the Henry Medina West L.A. Parking Enforcement Facility, on Exposition Boulevard near the San Diego (405) freeway. Most of the residents who came to speak came from the relatively nearby, more affluent communities of Brentwood and the Pacific Palisades.

“Obviously we can’t hold hundreds of meetings,” Gilman said. “But we’re hoping with ads in newspapers, some of the people in the community can get out and share their thoughts.”

No one from the Fairfax Senior Citizens Center, which is 7.3 miles away, attended the meeting. When called and asked to comment on the effects of the cuts, the director of the Fairfax Senior Center refused to give his name.

“I’m an employee of Los Agneles Rec and Parks,” he said. “In this climate, where so many people are getting the hatchet, I’m not taking any chances.”

Many of the local residents who did attend spoke in opposition to the elimination of the 430 Commuter Express bus line, which connects Brentwood and the Pacific Palisades to downtown Los Angeles, and Loyola High School. Some, however, also spoke more philosophically about the importance of public transportation.

“It’s unfair to put the burden of budget cuts on the back of those of us who are helping the city meet air quality standards and federal requirements,” said Stephanie White. “When you cut lines, it’s a downward spiral. You lose riders, and you have to increase fares and decrease services to compensate, and then you lose more riders. I’d like to know what LADOT is doing to try to increase ridership.”

At the end of the meeting, LADOT hearing officer Phil Aker, promised to take the comments into consideration. Still, he emphasized the urgency of the budget cuts.

“We’re looking to implement changes by July 1,” Aker said. “If we don’t implement those changes, then sometime next year, we’ll just be telling our operators to stop service.”

photo by Ian Lovett Many people depend on the DASH line in the Fairfax District, including senior citizens and students at Fairfax High School.