"We know from transit riders that the #1 thing that will contribute to increasing transit use is fast and reliable service. So while I believe in maintaining the fare freeze and achieving the lowest possible fare cap threshold, maintaining and improving service levels must be of paramount importance. We don’t want service cuts. If the only way to avoid service cuts is to increase fares, service is ultimately more important. However, we can and should investigate every other possible route to subsidize our transit system, so that the burden does not fall on transit riders — including and especially low-income residents. No matter what, fare increases should not be borne off residents who are financially precarious."