WRTA seeks sales tax on ballot

YOUNGSTOWN — Members of the Western Reserve Transit Authority board of directors think a countywide sales tax is the answer to the agency’s financial troubles.

Board members voted Thursday to ask Mahoning County commissioners to approve adding a 1⁄4-percent sales tax increase to the March ballot.

The agency’s executive director, Jim Ferraro, said the tax would generate about $7.5 million annually and make WRTA a countywide provider of public transportation.

Ridership is down about 24 percent since WRTA canceled Saturday service and many of its runs earlier this month, citing financial difficulties. Treasurer Marianne Vaughn said about $2 million is needed to bring WRTA back into financial solvency.

“The lack of Saturday service is really going to wreak havoc on our numbers compared with last year,” Ferraro said.

Ferraro said the decrease in ridership is roughly proportional to the service decrease.

In addition, the transit authority has been forced to lay off 16 employees, he said.