The State of Illinois Comptroller’s Office has paid Connect Transit its first quarter operating reimbursement for fiscal year 2017, allowing the agency to avoid shutdown and continue providing bus service to the citizens of Bloomington-Normal. The payment of $1.885 million covers the time period of July 2016 through September 2016 and is part of an almost $17.6 million transfer to the Downstate Public Transportation Fund. The transfer will complete fiscal year 2016 obligations and most first quarter obligations for downstate transit agencies.
State funding represents 65% of all operating expenses for the transit system. This first quarter payment is critical to keeping Connect Transit operating in the near-term. The second quarter is still unpaid and the third quarter is quickly approaching.
“We are grateful that the Illinois Comptroller was able to provide Connect Transit with its first quarter operating assistance payment. Our state legislators took an active interest in this funding problem and we are very appreciative of the efforts as they continue to support us as we deal with this issue. We remain optimistic that the state will be able to bring these payments up to date and keep public transit moving in Bloomington-Normal,” said Andrew Johnson, Connect Transit general manager.
