FY2017 withholds directly impact MO transit providers

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.   “Each withhold from General Revenue for transit operators in MO has a direct impact on the services they can put on the street to provide access to jobs, healthcare and education in our communities,” said Kimberly Cella, MPTA Executive Director.  “For example, the $121,500 withhold in the 4th quarter of this year amounted to $21,654 withheld from the OATS budget. The $500,000 withhold for next year equates to an additional hit to the OATS budget of approximately $89,111 in operating assistance. Missouri transit providers can not continue to sustain the very necessary services in  Missouri with the continued reduction in operational support from the state of Missouri.”

This operational funding is distributed based on a formula among 35 transit providers in MO.

“Any state funding we receive helps us fill the gaps and serve folks who do not fall under any of our contracts. In addition, the state operating assistance is part of our local amount which helps draw down federal funding. Our goal is to go back to 2002 levels of funding which really made a difference in transit’s budget,” said Dorothy Yeager, executive director of OATS and president of the MPTA.

This session 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.