Don’t count students among those impacted by the denial of a proposed tax increase for the Capital Area Transportation Authority bus system.
CATA asked voters Tuesday for a tax increase in each of the next four years to sustain and expand current services for its ridership, which has grown more than 6 percent each of the last few years, said Debbie Alexander, assistant executive director of CATA.
Local voters struck down the proposal, but while the bus service may have to cut routes or increase fare costs, those changes won’t likely take place on campus.
“I don’t see this affecting the student ridership at MSU at all,” said Michael Rice, the MSU representative on CATA’s board of directors.
Alexander said because the campus bus services are partially funded by the university, on-campus students won’t feel a direct impact.
The university began funding the campus bus system about nine years ago, Rice said.
The proposal would have allowed CATA, which collects more than $13 million in property taxes each year, to receive an additional $1.8 million this year.
CATA eclipsed the 10 million mark in ridership last year and expects to have about 10.6 million riders this year, Alexander said.
CATA’s board of directors has set no timeline to decide how it will adjust without the denied funding.
“It will be challenging to cut back services and not be there when the community is expecting us to be, and to not be a part of a solution for our riders who are conscious of the environment and the cost of transportation,” she said.
The average price of gas in East Lansing has increased more than 28 cents since last month to $3.14 per gallon, according to AAA Michigan.
As the predictability of fuel prices has changed significantly, it makes it much more difficult for CATA to budget their costs into the future, Rice said.
Kristin Baljet, an English sophomore, uses the campus bus system to get to her classes and to her boyfriend’s off-campus apartment.
Baljet, who used to live in Canada, said Michigan should model its public transportation after the system used by people in her former home.
“I’ve always thought that the state, in general, needs more public transportation,” she said.
Tuesday marked the first time CATA has been denied a millage, or property tax increase, in its history, Alexander said.
“We’re very disappointed, but we understand the state and the tough economic times that everyone is in,” she said. “On one hand, it will dramatically impact what we’re able to do in the future, but on the other hand, the public has spoken and wants us to look for other ways besides a tax increase in which we might meet our needs.”
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