Regional Transit wrapped up their talks about service cuts earlier this week, though there was still plenty of room for finger pointing and analysis at the District 1 Candidates Debate.

"Natomas is losing all routes on the weekends as my understanding," said candidate Angelique Ashby. "That means people have jobs elsewhere on the weekends and they are going to ride the bus, they can't do that anymore."

Ashby said she didn't understand why current District 1 Councilmember Ray Tretheway, who is on Regional Transit's Board of Directors, did not fight to keep a route in Natomas.

"I don't understand how he can let them all go," said Ashby. "We certainily pay into that tax system that provides that transportation. It seems to me it should be equal, and areas that have access to Light Rail should have been cut first. We don't have any Light Rail, but buses are the only public transportation that we have."

Tretheway responded saying no lines in North or South Natomas were cut except for one operating on the weekends.

"One goes through North Sacramento and ends up to Natomas Marketplace", said Tretheway. "That one was cut on weekends. All the rest I fought to restore."

Tretheway also elaborated on the Natomas Light Rail extension, saying it's been settled on going down Truxel Blvd for the last three to five years. Ashby opposes the Truxel Blvd plan.

"I believe that we will take care of the community, community center, and neighbors, and that Light Rail will be a public asset coming down Truxel", said Tretheway.

Efren Guttierrez, the third candidate in the debate, expressed his disappointment with Regional Transit.

"The line that you're talking about Ray is Line 13," said Guttierrez. "Line 13 runs down Northgate Blvd, and that is a working class neighborhood."

Guttierrez also discussed the problems working with other transit authorities over the years.

"We've been fighting with SACOG and Sacramento Transit Authority for years to deal with our problem of buses in this city," said Guttierrez. "We've seen this coming down the pipe."