WRTA must be prepared to take on its detractors

The Western Reserve Transit Authority doesn’t have much time to make the case for a 0.25 percent, five-year sales tax in Mahoning County, given that the issue will be on the March 4 ballot.

By any calculation, the WRTA is facing an uphill battle in winning hearts and minds of voters. There are several reasons for this, foremost of which is that a countywide tax represents an expansion of the tax base. Currently, only city of Youngstown residents support the authority financially — through two property tax levies totaling 5 mills, which generate about $2.5 million a year.

A 0.25 percent sales tax would provide $7.5 million a year and replace the two Youngstown property taxes.

Suburbanites will have to be sold on the idea that bus service doesn’t only benefit Youngstown and that there are companies in Austintown, Boardman and other such communities that depend on employees who live in the city and need public transportation.

Indeed, a recent reduction in service because of cuts in state and federal funding has negatively affected businesses outside the city.

WRTA officials intend to host public hearings in every city, village and township on the countywide sales tax and the proposed expansion of service to suburban communities.

And while it is important for James Ferraro, executive director, and members of the board to be ready to back up their contentions about public transportation with facts and figures, it is also the responsibility of residents in the county to get educated about the WRTA.

Region’s economy

We have long supported bus service because we recognize that the Mahoning Valley’s economy is such that not everyone can afford a car and not every job is within walking distance of where such workers live.

But we are also aware of the invisible boundaries that separate communities in this region, which is why selling the sales tax will be difficult.

Beyond the issue of who benefits from public transportation, there is the legitimate argument put forth by many residents about the lack of regional cooperation.

Why, these individuals ask, isn’t there one bus authority that serves the Mahoning and Shenango valleys? After all, each service receives federal and state money, which means the taxpayers are ultimately footing the bill.

Given that the federal government plays such an important role, the region’s congressmen, Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, Charlie Wilson of St. Clairsville, D-6th, and Jason Altmire of McCandless, Pa., D-4th, should lead the discussion of creating a true regional transit authority.

The members of the House of Representatives would be interested to note, for example, that WRTA’s discontinuing some routes on weekends and evenings has added $20,000 a month to the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services’ cost of providing transportation to its clients.

It has been estimated that it costs JFS $800 per month per client for taxi or van-type transportation, compared with the cost of a monthly bus ticket from WRTA of $38.

Again, we’re talking about public dollars.