Labor deal near amid talk of funding

The bus service is considering a county sales tax levy for November.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Although they have a tentative agreement, Amalgamated Transit Union officials said there are a few issues to iron out before asking members to ratify a new contract with the Western Reserve Transit Authority.
The current contract between the ATU -- which represents 61 full- and part-time WRTA drivers -- and WRTA expires today.
Faced with decreased federal funding and increased operations costs, WRTA officials are seeking ways to keep the authority's 19 bus lines running without severe cutbacks, namely by asking county voters to approve a sales tax.
"We have some overtime issues to bang out," said John Remias, ATU president. "We want to be under contract before we go to a sales tax."
Remias said one or two more negotiations sessions will be needed before he can present a contract to his membership for ratification.
"We've had eight or 10 tough sessions," he said. "We've walked into a situation where they're talking cuts if they can't get a sales tax, and any talk of reducing services is of great concern to us."
Remias said three new part-time drivers are in training to replace three part-time drivers who recently moved into full-time positions. He's hopeful the new hires will be ready to drive on their own next week.
He said new hires drive with supervision and then work part-time until full-time positions are available. The impact of any reduction in service that might come without more funding for WRTA, however, remains to be seen, he said.
More money or less service
WRTA officials want to place a proposal on the November election ballot for a 0.25-percent Mahoning County sales tax to fund its operations. Tax issues must be submitted to Ohio county boards of elections by Aug. 24 for the November ballot.
Jim Ferraro, WRTA's executive director, discussed the proposal Wednesday at Youngstown City Council's public utilities committee meeting.
WRTA receives about 35 percent to 40 percent of its funding from two levies on Youngstown property owners that raise about $2.5 million annually, Ferraro said.
With cuts in state and federal funding as well as large increases in fuel prices, the agency needs more money to operate, he said. If it doesn't get more money, the authority will have to cut services, he said.
Strong ridership figures
"We believe we are one of the more positive entities in the county with the growth we've had -- lights out ridership growth over the past four years," Ferraro said Thursday. "Our operators do a good job, and we feel good about the last 10 or 12 part-time operators we've hired. They have been exceptional."
Ferraro said ridership in May was 141,215, compared with 127,134 in May 2005. He said daily ridership in May was 5,884, and adult riders account for 40 percent of total ridership.
A 0.25-percent county sales tax would generate about $7 million to $8 million annually.
About 90 percent to 95 percent of the bus system's riders live in Youngstown, Ferraro said.
WRTA board members said Thursday they are pleased with the warm reception they received from council's public utility committee members.
Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th and public utilities committee chairwoman, scheduled a meeting for 5 p.m. July 10 with county commissioners and WRTA officials to discuss the sales tax proposal.
Councilman Michael Rapovy, D-5th, said WRTA should be seen as a county service rather than just a Youngstown service.
Ferraro wants to get approval from city council and the commissioners sometime in July for a November ballot initiative on the sales tax proposal.
Marianne Vaughn, secretary-treasurer, said WRTA is seeking legal advice about placing an issue on the ballot. Vaughn said because WRTA was formed by Youngstown city officials, WRTA officials want to know if the authority should first be declared a county transit authority before seeking a county sales tax. She said with county support, the authority would still be based in Youngstown but could further expand services to outlying areas of the county.
The authority increased bus fees effective June 1, but that won't resolve its financial problems, Ferraro said.
Without additional revenue, the authority will have to cut services significantly at a time when ridership is on the rise, Ferraro said.