RTA Testimony to Kansas City, Mo.,
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
January 16, 2008
The Regional Transit Alliance is a citizen's organization that promotes regional transit.
Last week, we came before you to support passage of Ordinance 080034, renewing the 3/8 cent sales tax for the bus system in Kansas City, Missouri.
We believe that continued funding of a viable bus system is necessary to the future of transit in Kansas City, and that linking a vote on the bus tax to an as-yet-to-be-developed light rail proposal puts approval of the bus tax at unnecessary risk.
To be clear, we support expansion of Kansas City’s transit system by adding a light rail spine, and we are confident that the Council, together with the Citizen's Light Rail Task Force and ATA, will produce a workable light rail proposal that can succeed with the voters.
A future light rail proposal should succeed or fail on its own merits. Regardless of the outcome of a future light rail vote, we should act to secure bus funding first.
We support a separate vote on the bus tax before placing a light rail tax on the ballot.
Margie Richcreek, Chair
Regional Transit Alliance