Trumbull kicks off campaign to support county transit levy

Staff report

NILES

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-17th of Niles, and several other Trumbull County government leaders kicked off the campaign to pass a 0.5-mill, 5-year levy in November to fund a countywide transportation service at a breakfast Friday.

Also promoting the levy were Niles Mayor Ralph Infante, Warren Mayor Michael O’Brien, county Commissioners Paul Heltzel, Frank Fuda, and Dan Polivka, and state representatives Sean O’Brien, D-65th of Brookfield, and Tom Letson, D-64th of Warren.

The levy, which would raise $1.7 million a year, would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $17.50 per year.

The countywide levy would provide the funding to continue and expand the work of Niles Trumbull Transit, a busing service the City of Niles operated since 2002. Niles will discontinue NiTTs effective Jan. 1, 2012.

Ryan and Infante said affordable, reliable public transportation plays a critical role in the quality of life for Trumbull County residents.

“Today, thousands of seniors, disabled citizens, students, the economically disadvantaged, and others in our community depend on public transportation,” Infante said.

NiTTS provided 64,249 trips last year: 18,922 for senior citizens, 21,013 for the disabled, 16,131 for students, and 8,183 for other residents, Infante said.

Passage of the levy will enable the system to provide 27,000 additional senior trips annually, including 13,000 now provided by the Trumbull County Office of Elderly Affairs, Infante said.