WRTA agrees to put levy on ballot

Staff Report

YOUNGSTOWN — The Western Reserve Transit Authority board on Thursday approved placing a 0.25 percent sales tax on the November ballot.

If passed, the tax would last for five years and raise about $7 million each year for WRTA.

The authority said passage will benefit additional transportation not only in the city, but the entire county.

“We were a lifeline and we need to get back to that,” said Jim Ferraro, WRTA executive director, of the WRTA being a more prominent service in past years.

Thousands of residents use the WRTA as their means of transportation. Ferraro said an increase in riders calls for a larger area of transportation coverage and the sales tax would help the WRTA meet those needs.

Small-bus door-to-door services would be added, as well as community circulators and cross-town buses located in the suburbs.

“The Valley will become better with transportation throughout,” said Michael Bosela, WRTA board president.

With the current economic status of the area and the rise in gas prices, Ferraro said it’s important that the WRTA become a stronger entity. And he believes the tax on November’s ballot would allow WRTA to work toward restoring services that may have been cut.

If the sales tax is passed it would take effect April 1, 2009. “We aren’t reinventing the wheel,” said Ferraro, “but a strong WRTA will benefit the city and the county.”