Community Transit’s governing board has approved the agency’s $111 million budget for 2004, but transit officials will continue to talk about the bus agency’s bottom line in coming months.
Community Transit needs to find a new source of revenue to keep up with growth in Snohomish County, said Joyce Olson, the agency’s executive director. There’s nothing specific on the table yet, however.
"We haven’t identified any potential sources," Olson said.
But she quickly added that officials won’t be looking at a sales tax increase.
Voters approved a .3 cents per dollar sales tax in 2001 that covered the cost of this year’s expansion in service.
"It won’t be sales tax. I think that’s just tapped out," she said.
Most south Snohomish County routes now have service every 15 to 20 minutes, and overall, service hours have grown by 70 percent since 1994.
Olson said Community Transit estimates that bus service will grow 5 percent to 10 percent the next six years.
"It’s a fast-growing county, and we need to grow to keep pace," she said. "It’s clear we need to find funding.
"Even though we got our sales tax passed, that’s not going to take care of future growth."
Options for expanding revenues will be developed over the next six months.
Next year’s spending plan was unanimously approved 7-0 by the agency’s board of directors this week.
Community Transit’s operating budget in 2004 will be $73.8 million, up 9 percent from 2003. Transit officials say much of the increase is because of higher fuel costs and bigger expenditures on benefits and insurance.
Board chairman Bob Kraski called next year’s spending plan a hold-the-line budget.
The agency expects to take in roughly $51.1 million in sales tax revenues and another $11.5 million in fares.
Including capital projects, the bus company’s budget next year is $111.8 million.
At its meeting, the board also renewed contracts with Edmonds Community College and the University of Washington to continue the EDPass and U-Pass programs, which let students, staff and faculty ride on Community Transit buses by showing school IDs.
The UW will pay Community Transit roughly $1.4 million to continue the program, while EdCC will contribute approximately $180,000.
Reporter Brian Kelly: 425-339-3422 or kelly@heraldnet.com.
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