IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      
Contact:  Jean Leier (704) 432-0496

CATS SEEKING COMMUNITY INPUT ON OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS

Charlotte, N.C., September 18, 2009  -CATS is in the process of establishing its operating budget for Fiscal Year 2011 and its capital program budget for the next five years.  Members of the community are encouraged to participate in the CATS' budget planning process and share transit service ideas for the community.

"We want to have a dialogue with citizens to share CATS' progress and challenges faced over the past year and to ask for the community's opinion on shaping the future of the transit system," said Dee Pereira, Chief Financial Officer for CATS.  "At each meeting we will be asking attendees to fill out a survey to help us gauge what transit service enhancements and amenities are most important to customers." 

The same information will be shared at each meeting.  Meeting times and locations are as follows:

Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Hut Meeting Facility
413 Johnston Drive
Pineville, NC 28134
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, September 24, 2009
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center
Room 267
600 East 4th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Watch Live on The GOV Channel, on Time Warner Cable 16, or online at www.charlottenc.gov

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Matthews Library
230 Matthews Station Street
Matthews, NC 28105
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 8, 2009
Davidson Library
119 South Main Street
Davidson, NC 28036
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

For more information about the meetings or transit service near the meeting locations, contact 704-336-RIDE (7433) or visit www.ridetransit.org.