Public transit survives budget cuts for another year

Displaying a sudden change of heart, the city council at a special meeting on Monday revisited an already strained budget, and found an option that would allow them to fund Mountain Home Community Transit for another year.

During initial budget hearings this spring, the council made a decision to discontinue funding for public transit, based mostly on the perception that the service suffered from low ridership numbers.

Scores of local supporters and representatives from Treasure Valley Transit (TVT) in Nampa attended the meeting, substantiating their claim that public transit is providing a much needed service in the Mountain Home area.

Figures provided by TVT show that local public transit had completed 25,219 boardings since the service began in 2005, which is an average of 50 passengers a day.

TVT Executive Director Terri Lindenberg told the Council that the cost to provide bus service for the community and Mountain Home AFB had a total cost of more than $300,000, with a majority of that amount funded through federal sources.

The amount of matching funds requested from the city is $27,000, an increase of $2,000 over last year's budget amount, but in return, having the service in the county has contributed more than $200,000 to the local economy, according to Lindenberg.

She told the council that if the bus service is discontinued in Mountain Home, there is a long waiting list of other communities hoping to implement public transit, with the federal funds able to be used anywhere.

Lindenberg said she was hopeful that within the next 18 months, revenue would become available from the state government to help fund bus service in Idaho's rural communities.

Idaho is one of only five states in the nation that does not provide funding for this type of public transit.

In order to fund the bus service, council members had to choose between several options, finally deciding to delay until next April the proposed salary grade increase that was to go into effect in October, saving close to $100,000.

Other options provided by City Treasurer Leanna Taylor to provide the necessary funds included:

* Reduction in funding for CAM-8.

* Reduction in funding for Dig-It Committee/Beautification Board.

* Reduce amount allocated for Police Department overtime pay.

* Utilize revenue received by Police Department for training provided for other city departments.

* Increase fee for users of private carts at golf course.

No action was taken on those options, however.

The council is expected to adopt the tentative budget at a hearing on July 23 with a public hearing for the budget scheduled for Aug. 13. Final approval of the budget will be on Aug. 27.