Get involved in Intercity Transit’s financial future

THE OLYMPIAN | • Published November 13, 2009

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How do you feel about an increase in the sales tax to preserve and enhance service provided by Intercity Transit? Now is the time to offer your opinion.

Intercity Transit, the government agency that offers bus and vanpool service in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Yelm, is accepting public comments on the proposed 2010-2015 strategic plan — a plan that calls for an increase in the local sales tax dedicated to public transportation.

The plan comes at a time when Intercity Transit is serving a record number of passengers, an increase in ridership sparked by gasoline that hit nearly $4.50 a gallon in the summer of 2008.

Intercity Transit collects six-tenths of 1 percent in sales tax. The maximum allowed under state law is nine-tenths of 1 percent.

A one-tenth increase in sales tax equates to a penny on a $10 purchase — which doesn’t sound like much. But it generates about $3.5 million a year for Intercity Transit, and that’s a lot of bus rides. At the same time Intercity Transit is experiencing record ridership, sales tax receipts continue to slide — mostly because of the economic recession. Sales tax revenue this year is expected to be 8 percent below 2008. And sales tax receipts that year were 3 percent below the level of 2007.

Intercity Transit officials are recommending a three-tenths of 1 percent increase in the sales tax, but the strategic plan outlines more options and the consequences of each alternative.

• Option 1: If the Intercity Transit Authority and voters decided not to increase the sales tax, services would have to be reduced about 22 percent. That would eliminate Sunday service, for example.

n Option 2: Raising the sales tax by one-tenth of 1 percent would still require service cuts — just to a lesser degree — and provide no money for capital expenditures.

• Option 3: Raising the sales tax by two-tenths of 1 percent would allow modest growth in the transportation system. Service could be increased by approximately 8 percent from today’s level of approximately 200,000 annual fixed-route revenue hours. This would allow some improvements to existing routes but would provide no funds for new capital. Intercity Transit would have no local funds to expand the maintenance and operations facility or to purchase new buses. No service that requires additional vehicles could be added.

• Option 4: Raise the sales tax by three-tenths of 1 percent — moving Intercity Transit to the maximum allowed under state law. This is the recommended option of IT officials and would allow a 23 percent growth in service and provide funds for new buses and expansion of the maintenance and operations facility.

There are consequences attached with each decision. Without additional revenue, for example, IT is proposing to eliminate the DASH shuttle downtown — the free route between the Capitol Campus and the Farmers Market. Sunday service also would be eliminated, the service boundary for Dial-a-lift would shrink and all improvement projects — a new administrative center and additional buses — would be put on hold.

By contrast, the three-tenths of 1 percent option would increase bus frequency on some routes, provide late evening service on some routes and add Sunday service to one route. Bus services to northeast Lacey would be added and a crosstown route from Lacey to Tumwater would be established. Ten additional buses would be purchased and the maintenance and operations facility would be expanded as planned.

These are weighty decisions at a time of economic uncertainty. But Intercity Transit has a solid track record when it comes to listening to the public. The authority members have, in previous years, shaped transit services to meet public expectations — for example increasing frequency on mainline routes and expanding hours of operations.

Now is the time for members of the public to help mold transit services for the next six years. Complete Intercity Transit’s survey, make a call or send an e-mail. The future of bus and vanpool operations in South Sound should be guided by public comments.