Greeley ballot question 2B would raise sales tax to fund bus system

Greeley ballot question 2B asks residents to raise the sales tax by .25 of a percent to pay for improvements to the city's bus system.

Members of the city's transit services asked Greeley City Council to place the tax proposal on the ballot because city staff is concerned that Greeley will lose federal funding for bus operating costs when the U.S. Census compiles the next census in 2010.

Of concern to transit services is that Greeley will become part of the Fort Collins/Loveland Transportation Management Area. The U.S. government expects these areas to be able to support their own public transportation systems.

The tax would raise $3.2 million annually for buying and maintaining buses and operating the vehicles, which include paratransit services for older residents and the disabled. It would expire in 10 years.

The tax would also include adding a route to Northridge High School and expanding other routes in an effort to gain "choice" riders -- those who can drive but take the bus for environmental or monetary reasons. The frequency of running buses helps attract these riders, said Brad Patterson, Greeley transit services manager.

A bus to Loveland is slated to start running between Centerra in Loveland and the Greeley Mall in early 2008. That bus route is being funded by the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization.

This year, transit services estimates that it will give 500,000 rides for the first time. Transit services has established a benchmark for efficiency of the bus that says a route should have 10 riders per hour to be efficient. Some routes get this number, some do not.

Patterson said Greeley needs the tax because demand currently exceeds supply for rides on paratransit buses and because the city's budget will be flat for the next three to five years while costs like fuel will continue to rise.

Debbie Pilch, Greeley city councilwoman and chairwoman of the pro-2B group Citizens for Public Transportation said the cost is low for residents, since people would only be taxed $.25 on a $100 purchase.

"Bottled water, that costs more than the tax," Pilch said. "More people would ride if they didn't have to wait."

The pro-2B group has picked up about 17 endorsements including Greeley-Evans School District 6 and the Greeley Chamber of Commerce.

Joy Breuer, a Greeley resident, said she was initially for the tax but now is not.

"We need to take care of the city first," said Breuer, who is concerned that the money could be used to ferry people to Fort Collins and Loveland.

Breuer added that she thinks the city can find money elsewhere to supplement the transit services the city offers.

"We're giving money to some nonprofits that could be used," Breuer said. "Those aren't necessary expenses."

2B PRO/CON

Pros:

» Would provide money for bus system.

» Would expand service in Greeley, adding frequency of bus trips.

» Would free about $780,000 in city's general fund to be used on other projects.

» Transit services recently received a perfect score from the Federal Transportation Administration for its efficiency.

Cons:

» Would be an additional tax.

» Federal funding may not be lost after 2010 census.

» Some say money could be found elsewhere in Greeley's budget instead of passing a new tax.