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Hi! I watched the commission meeting from home today and I just had a few comments I didn't get to make because I was unable to physically come in today:

-My partner and I live by Depot Park and I work from home remotely and he works at Ward's. We used to share a car, but it broke down last year. I don't know if any of you rent, or have worked at lower wage jobs in this city, or if you have looked at the price of cars lately. But basically I had to get a remote job because jobs here in Gainesville do not pay enough for people to pay for the cost of living here- I stay because I like it. My boyfriend has been at Ward's for year and now makes $16/hr. I am 38 and he is 40. We both have a bachelor's degree. Our combined income is under $90k. I am telling you all of this because I am trying to convey that since the price of rent has gone up, the price of groceries has gone up, and the cost of vehicles has basically quadrupled in the last five years, most low-middle income families/individuals cannot afford a vehicle without going into massive debt. I have been riding a bike here in Gainesville since I moved back here in 2017. I used to ride a bike when I lived here in '08-'13. I have never seen more people ride more bikes and scooters than I have now. I think part of this is environmental awareness, but I honestly think most of it is poverty, lack of enough income to afford a vehicle. We NEED a better bus system. As aforementioned, my boyfriend works at Ward's, normally from 11-8 or 12-8. There is currently no bus for him to take home. If he get a flat tire that needs repair (bike shops here are closed Sunday and Monday) on a weekend, he is out of luck until Tuesday. On a 15/hr income last week, he was forced to uber home three nights in a row while he waited for his bike to be repaired. I was going to take pottery at UF this summer, and there was bus route that went directly from my house on a consistent basis to Reitz Union, which ironically was cancelled as soon as I found I could take that bus during the summer- because it's too hot to bike. I don't think the college or maybe even you guys realize that people who cannot afford a car are risking exposure in the elements when you take the bus away, or dont have busses that run late enough. We are in Florida! There are hot summers, lightning, rains. Not to mention aggressive/bad drivers. Without a bus for him to get home, I do worry about my boyfriend dying on the way home from work. It is a lot safer on the bus coming from Wards to the Rosa Parks area. There is no bike lane for some of that trip. Uber is also becoming more and more dangerous. I have been riding in Ubers since 2015, and since they cut wages, to be frank most of the people who drive uber have become more erratic emotionally/personality wise, or they are bad drivers. I honestly think at this point when you get in an Uber, you are taking your life in your hands, as they say.

Honestly your meeting today made me realize the elephant in the room is governmental power in this country waning in comparison to corporate power- and citizens still need government to be viable in order to have protections from exploitation. I think if possible, you guys should work on creating laws that ensure rich people and corporations pay proper taxes, because I realize that if the super wealthy people of this country paid in more, the government would be stronger/have more funding. In addition, if so many people and developers are moving here lately, why doesn't the city commission therefore have more funding? That was mysterious to me, because with more citizens should come more tax money. Also, say, if an entity from overseas owns an apartment complex here, but they live partially in India and partially in Orlando- do those people pay taxes here? (This is the situation in my apartment complex now).

I also think it was not a good idea to designate the building on 16th as Zone 6. Oak View is one of the downtown neighborhoods with the most trees. It is significantly cooler there. I lived there for years. I am fearful that enabling an apartment complex to be build adjacent to that area will lead to more apartments going into actual Oakview. Not to mention, that building is behind a massage business, which needs quiet. Also, one must consider the vape shop (ew- I think these are a blight on our town), is located on a former gas station, which is a pollution area, unfit for certain things due to human health issues. The impression I got from the men at the meeting today was that they knew an escape room would fail (because they are lame) and they seemed to me that they were chomping at the bit at the idea of possible future apartment building development possibilities. I just feel like people in Oak View want a quiet place to live and turning that into a bustling place would effect the neighborhood negatively.

In regard to urban sprawl, I wonder why the city commission does not consider the fact that Newberry, Alachua are both being highly developed.. isn't that part of the "urban sprawl" you are trying to avoid?

Unrelated to the meeting, but I also wanted to mention that it seems like people are actually beginning to buy these Meta glasses, and in addition, Amazon stores like Whole Foods (on Butler specifically) has palm-scanning software at checkout, and Sam's Club (also on Butler) has a mechanism that scans your ENTIRE BODY upon exiting the store, and in addition lots of people and businesses have cameras now. I was wondering- does the city have any discussions ever on safety or privacy protections?

Sorry this email was long!

Thank you

-Laura Bittner

Date Received:	6/5/2025 5:34:40 PM
To:	citycomm
Cc:
From:	laura bittner
Subject:	[EXTERNAL] RTS Bus Routes
Attachments:
Message:	Hi! I watched the commission meeting from home today and I just had a few comments I didn't get to make because I was unable to physically come in today: -My partner and I live by Depot Park and I work from home remotely and he works at Ward's. We used to share a car, but it broke down last year. I don't know if any of you rent, or have worked at lower wage jobs in this city, or if you have looked at the price of cars lately. But basically I had to get a remote job because jobs here in Gainesville do not pay enough for people to pay for the cost of living here- I stay because I like it. My boyfriend has been at Ward's for year and now makes $16/hr. I am 38 and he is 40. We both have a bachelor's degree. Our combined income is under $90k. I am telling you all of this because I am trying to convey that since the price of rent has gone up, the price of groceries has gone up, and the cost of vehicles has basically quadrupled in the last five years, most low-middle income families/individuals cannot afford a vehicle without going into massive debt. I have been riding a bike here in Gainesville since I moved back here in 2017. I used to ride a bike when I lived here in '08-'13. I have never seen more people ride more bikes and scooters than I have now. I think part of this is environmental awareness, but I honestly think most of it is poverty, lack of enough income to afford a vehicle. We NEED a better bus system. As aforementioned, my boyfriend works at Ward's, normally from 11-8 or 12-8. There is currently no bus for him to take home. If he get a flat tire that needs repair (bike shops here are closed Sunday and Monday) on a weekend, he is out of luck until Tuesday. On a 15/hr income last week, he was forced to uber home three nights in a row while he waited for his bike to be repaired. I was going to take pottery at UF this summer, and there was bus route that went directly from my house on a consistent basis to Reitz Union, which ironically was cancelled as soon as I found I could take that bus during the summer- because it's too hot to bike. I don't think the college or maybe even you guys realize that people who cannot afford a car are risking exposure in the elements when you take the bus away, or dont have busses that run late enough. We are in Florida! There are hot summers, lightning, rains. Not to mention aggressive/bad drivers. Without a bus for him to get home, I do worry about my boyfriend dying on the way home from work. It is a lot safer on the bus coming from Wards to the Rosa Parks area. There is no bike lane for some of that trip. Uber is also becoming more and more dangerous. I have been riding in Ubers since 2015, and since they cut wages, to be frank most of the people who drive uber have become more erratic emotionally/personality wise, or they are bad drivers. I honestly think at this point when you get in an Uber, you are taking your life in your hands, as they say. Honestly your meeting today made me realize the elephant in the room is governmental power in this country waning in comparison to corporate power- and citizens still need government to be viable in order to have protections from exploitation. I think if possible, you guys should work on creating laws that ensure rich people and corporations pay proper taxes, because I realize that if the super wealthy people of this country paid in more, the government would be stronger/have more funding. In addition, if so many people and developers are moving here lately, why doesn't the city commission therefore have more funding? That was mysterious to me, because with more citizens should come more tax money. Also, say, if an entity from overseas owns an apartment complex here, but they live partially in India and partially in Orlando- do those people pay taxes here? (This is the situation in my apartment complex now). I also think it was not a good idea to designate the building on 16th as Zone 6. Oak View is one of the downtown neighborhoods with the most trees. It is significantly cooler there. I lived there for years. I am fearful that enabling an apartment complex to be build adjacent to that area will lead to more apartments going into actual Oakview. Not to mention, that building is behind a massage business, which needs quiet. Also, one must consider the vape shop (ew- I think these are a blight on our town), is located on a former gas station, which is a pollution area, unfit for certain things due to human health issues. The impression I got from the men at the meeting today was that they knew an escape room would fail (because they are lame) and they seemed to me that they were chomping at the bit at the idea of possible future apartment building development possibilities. I just feel like people in Oak View want a quiet place to live and turning that into a bustling place would effect the neighborhood negatively. In regard to urban sprawl, I wonder why the city commission does not consider the fact that Newberry, Alachua are both being highly developed.. isn't that part of the "urban sprawl" you are trying to avoid? Unrelated to the meeting, but I also wanted to mention that it seems like people are actually beginning to buy these Meta glasses, and in addition, Amazon stores like Whole Foods (on Butler specifically) has palm-scanning software at checkout, and Sam's Club (also on Butler) has a mechanism that scans your ENTIRE BODY upon exiting the store, and in addition lots of people and businesses have cameras now. I was wondering- does the city have any discussions ever on safety or privacy protections? Sorry this email was long! Thank you -Laura Bittner

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