Garfield County against RFTA tax levy

0.4 percent increase would expand system

By Phillip Yates
Post Independent Staff
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
April 15, 2008

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GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — A proposal to put a 0.4 percent sales tax levy on unincorporated county ballots to help bolster the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s regional service received a chilly response from two Garfield County commissioners on Monday.

RFTA officials sought the commissioners’ stance about putting the sales tax question before Garfield County residents as they presented their plan to expand the authority’s existing system and create a new service called Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

The agency’s long-term plan is to reduce bus travel time and to compete with personal vehicles.

“I think BRT is a response of expressed needs, and RFTA needs the county’s support,” said Dorothea Farris, a Pitkin County commissioner and chair of RFTA’s board. “I think it is critical that Garfield County has a seat on the RFTA’s board. I think that county participation and support of the tax question is essential.”

Garfield County would have a seat on RFTA’s board of directors if a sales tax increase for the transit agency were approved in the county.

However, commissioners John Martin and Larry McCown spoke out against RFTA’s sales tax proposal. Commissioner Trési Houpt said she was in support of it.

Martin said he wanted to continue the county’s current relationship with RFTA, rather than asking county residents for a 0.4 percent sales tax increase for the agency.

This year, the county contributed $350,000 to RFTA’s bike trails programs and has a $260,000 contract with RFTA to provide the Hogback route — which goes from Rifle to Glenwood, said Dan Blankenship, executive director of RFTA.

“We pay for that particular service,” Martin said. “That is where my comfort level is. To continuously tax folks is an obligation I can’t enter into.”

Houpt said the county will “never be able to put together a long-term system” if it sticks with its current contractual relationship with RFTA. She said she often gets calls from residents in Western Garfield County wondering when they are going to have more service in that area.

“We’ve supported RFTA at a nominal level, “ Houpt said. “I feel very strongly that we need to become a member of RFTA. Transportation is a regional problem that can only be addressed through regional solutions.”

McCown’s opposition to the proposed sales tax question stemmed from his opinion that the matter was more of an issue of “housing” rather than transportation. He said philosophies in Pitkin County and upvalley communities for “minimal growth” do not allow a workforce to live there and that the county already faces a burden in supporting those communities’ workers.

“We are taking care of their workforces, and now you are coming to us for transportation funds,” McCown told the RFTA officials.

Blankenship said his reaction to Martin’s comments was that the agency should develop a proposal that outlines the agency’s costs and potential investments of operating in the county. The agency would then bring that information back to the county to see if commissioners would be willing to increase their contributions to RFTA.

“We are happy to have the ability to work with Garfield County whichever way we can,” Blankenship said. “In order to grow service and meet demand, Garfield County’s contribution will probably have to increase from what it is today.”

Members of RFTA’s board of directors during a meeting last week conducted a straw poll that indicated they want to seek voter approval for a multimillion-dollar sales tax increase in November for its BRT system.

The BRT system would focus on nonstop trips between downvalley towns and the upper valley and would include new park-and-rides and state-of-the-art bus stations, along with new buses and additional personnel to operate a bigger bus agency. However, the board delayed making a decision on a specific ballot question until May. If the agency approaches voters in November, it must settle on a funding proposal at its next meeting on May 8.

During the last meeting, the board majority seemed poised to seek a 0.3 percent sales tax increase from towns and counties already participating in RFTA.

RFTA is seeking the 0.4 percent sales tax levy from communities that are not currently a part of RFTA, but who receive some bus service — Garfield County, Silt and Rifle. The decision to place the 0.4 percent sales tax levy on the county and those towns would be up to the commissioners and town leaders.

The board would like to see the same ballot question for each jurisdiction, Farris said.

“I don’t know how we are going to get there,” Farris said. “The goal is to arrive at a more fair and equitable taxing structure.”

RFTA is looking for the infusion of money because of increasing pressure on its system, officials say. Last year, RFTA saw 4.4 million people — a record number — hopping onto its buses systemwide. Officials say the number of people riding on the bus this winter is up and that total ridership in 2008 is expected to reach 4.6 million people.


Contact Phillip Yates: 384-9117
pyates@postindependent.com


Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, Colorado CO