HAMMOND | About a dozen residents spoke passionately Monday to retain Hammond's Transit System.

The city has to decrease its budget by $1.4 million because of property tax relief, and Councilman Dan Repay has suggested cutting the Transit System to save money.

Resident Ronald Humphrey said, "Getting rid of the transportation system would get rid of my job.

"You take the buses and we can't work, and my kids will starve. It ain't cool."

Longtime Hammond resident Audrey Wilson said seniors need buses to get to the doctor, grocery stores and hospitals.

Jim Cohan said, "I can't stand to see what is going on in Hammond. I ask you to look inside of your hearts, look inside of your minds to reconsider what you are going to do to us."

Resident Dale Scopelite said, "It appears the council wants to balance the budget on the backs of the poor."

Scopelite suggested city employees "give up the take-home cars" as a possible solution to the shortfall.

State and federal subsidies for the Transit System have decreased in the past two years because ridership is down.

Repay said the transportation department costs nearly $1 million a year to operate.

"Everything is on the board when it comes to this budget: people, positions, cars," Repay said. "Cuts are never easy, but cuts are necessary."