MO transit investment trends

Senate Appropriations upholds cuts to transit funding

The Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee upheld the Governor’s and House Committee’s recommendations to cut $500,000 in general revenue for transit operating assistance for next year’s budget.   With that cut, funding will be approximately $1.7 million in State Transportation Fund revenues.  

The total budgeted for transit assistance in 2016 was $2.08 million including the Governor’s withhold of $121,500 in General Revenue in the fourth quarter.   This funding is distributed based on a formula among 32 transit providers in MO.

The Senate took the House position and closed the bill.  Therefore, if the bill stays the same on the Senate floor and no changes are made, there will be nothing to discuss in conference since both chambers took the same position – reducing transit funding by an additional $500,000 next year.  Transit funding in Missouri topped $8 million in operating assistance in 2002. Transit funding is going the wrong way in Missouri.