In an effort to sew up a devastating budget hole, the Valley Transportation Authority has outlined plans to reduce or eliminate 65 of the county's 72 bus lines - four of which operate in San Martin and/or Morgan Hill.
Facing a local economy that saw sales tax figures drop 21 percent below projections last fiscal year, the VTA - which receives 80 percent of its funding from sales tax - is scrambling to make up the $71 million decline in agency revenue over the last year.
Highlighting the financial woes, a $42 million VTA reserve at the beginning of this fiscal year will be squeezed to $6 million by summer. If the economy doesn't improve by 2005, only $150,000 will remain in emergency reserves for the agency that operates on a budget that approached nearly $350 million this year - leaving the agency essentially bankrupt.
In recent months, the VTA already has cut more than $164 million in spending, downgraded services and eliminated more than 300 jobs - 11 percent of its workforce.
"The reality is that, because of the economy, something needs to be done," said John Pilger, spokesman for the VTA. "(The VTA) is not in a position to operate in debt, so service changes are being done to address our money issues."
Changes to local bus routes outlined in the VTA's proposal include Lines 15, 16, 68 and Express Line 521. These routes could be reduced to consolidate distance covered, number of stops, operating times or any mix of the three. Line 15 would discontinue service on weekends and 521 would combine two morning routes. If approved by the 12-member VTA board of directors - which includes District 1 Supervisor Don Gage - the changes will be effective April 1. The majority of rider fares will stay the same.
In Gilroy Line 17 (downtown transit center to Saint Louise Hospital) will have some routing changes and only hourly service on weekends. Line 18 (transit center to Monterey and Farrell) would be discontinued.
Line 19 (transit center to Sunrise and Santa Teresa) would change routing to pick up part of Line 18, there would be no service on Miller and that on Montebello would be limited to 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The VTA will be holding meetings at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10 in the City Council Chambers, 17555 Peak Ave., to discuss the proposed transit changes with members of the community.
"We want to make it clear that these are only proposals here, and we aren't going to do anything until we get some community feedback," Pilger said. "We always take account of what the public has to say and frequently change our plans based on their comments. If 100 people show up and express concern over a reduction, we will probably change our minds."
Reducing or eliminating any bus route is a hard decision to make, but there's no alternative at this stage of the VTA's budget deficit, Gage said.
"(The reductions are) all determined scientifically by ridership," he said. "The cutbacks are all over the county - South County is being treated no differently. The routes with the least ridership are the ones being reduced most."
Even with the proposed slashes, bus fare will remain $1.40 for round-trip and $4 for a day pass, but paratransit fees could increase dramatically. The VTA board currently is discussing raising the pick-up fee for elderly and disabled paratransit riders from $2.80 to $15, citing the cost of having drivers pick up paratransit riders at flexible times.
"This is a budget crisis," Pilger said. "Not one segment is being targeted. Ridership determines our changes, and we have a lot of work in front of us."
Throughout the rest of the county, planned light rail extensions in San Jose and the voter-approved BART extension to downtown San Jose will be in jeopardy because of the VTA's morbid economic status. There already has been talk of a new sales tax measure on the 2004 ballot that would ask voters to approve another one-quarter cent sales tax raise for public transit - producing an extra $140 to $200 million annually for the VTA.
"This is a real tough situation for everybody involved," Gage said. "We are dealing with some very big issues right now. We realize some people totally depend on public transit, and we want to be fair, but (the VTA) will be bankrupt in five years if nothing is done."
Other meetings are scheduled countywide including ones at 3 and 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 in the Gilroy City Hall Council Chambers, 7351 Rosanna St. Comments can also be sent by e-mail at www.vta.org
For more information on VTA's 2 p.m. Dec. 10 meeting in Morgan Hill and the proposed changes, visit www.vta.org
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