Charles Bartlett of Hammond (foreground) gets ready to board a bus after attending a Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts, the Lake County Regional Council for Accessible Transportation, general bus riders and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

A supporter of public transportation rides the escalator down after attending a Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Easygo buses with the Regional Bus Authority (RBA) are lined up outside the Government Center after some riders attended a Lake County Council meeting in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts, the Lake County Regional Council for Accessible Transportation, general bus riders and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Rudy Velasco, co-chair of Lake County Regional Council for Accessible Transportation, makes a point during a Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Tim Brown, executive director of the RBA, spaeks during a Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts, the Lake County Regional Council for Accessible Transportation, general bus riders and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

People brought signs of various kinds to the Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts, the Lake County Regional Council for Accessible Transportation, general bus riders and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Herlinda Oviedo of Hammond holds a sign during a Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts, the Lake County Regional Council for Accessible Transportation, general bus riders and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Clay Cates of the Gary Public Transportation Corporation (GPTC) speaks during a Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts, the Lake County Regional Council for Accessible Transportation, general bus riders and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Robert George, chariman of the transportation committee for the Gary chapter of the NAACP, (left, foreground) and Teresa Torres of Everybody Counts (right, foreground) talks before the Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts, the Lake County Regional Council for Accessible Transportation, general bus riders and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Jerome Prince gives instructions before taking comments from the audience related to bus funding during a Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. A large number of bus supporters attended the meeting to voice their concerns from several viewpoints, including the GPTC, RBA, Everybody Counts, the Lake County Regional Council for Accessible Transportation, general bus riders and more. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Lake County Sheriff John Buncich (foreground) speaks about budget requests during a Lake County Council meeting at the Government Center in Crown Point, Ind. Tuesday May 15, 2012. Later in the meeting, council members heard from supporters of bus funding. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media