Subcommittee votes to include interim transit study in full committee report; asks urbans to craft funding ask

The Government Finance subcommittee voted March 22 to include its interim study of fixed-route urban transit in the full committee’s report to Legislative Management.

Senator Gearhart moved that Legislative Council prepare the subcommittee summary for inclusion in the Government Finance Committee report; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Committee staff had reminded members the subcommittee was convened for two meetings to conduct a focused review and provide materials for the full committee’s November report.

During discussion members pressed urban transit leaders for specific dollar requests. Several providers said they had initially sought more substantial state support (one informal joint ask cited earlier in the process was about $15 million over the biennium) but that final session funding had been pared to $2 million restricted to paratransit. Committee members and providers agreed the four urban agencies should meet promptly and return a clear, transparent recommendation on the amount and distribution method the full committee should consider.

What’s next: Legislative Council will prepare the subcommittee summary for the November report; urban transit providers committed to coordinating a proposed funding figure for the full committee to review.