During its monthly meeting on April 27, the Board of Trustees of the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) approved a resolution to place a levy on the November 8, 2016 general election ballot seeking renewal of COTA’s ¼% sales and use tax that expires on March 31, 2017. Prior to 2006, COTA was funded solely by a ¼% continuing, or permanent, sales and use tax.
In November 2006, voters in COTA’s service territory approved the additional funding for a period of 10 years to implement COTA’s Long-Range Transit Plan. The plan focused on expanding and improving COTA service to meet the needs of a community that had experienced rapid growth.
Since passage of the levy, COTA has nearly doubled service levels, replaced its aging bus fleet, upgraded its operating facilities, and invested in technologies to improve service reliability.
Service expansion, including innovative private/public partnerships, has focused on access to education and employment, spurring economic development, and improving mobility options for seniors and people with disabilities.
“In order for COTA to maintain the level of service we are providing today and to position the Authority to meet the needs of our growing region, it is imperative that we renew the ¼% sales tax for another 10 years,” said Curtis Stitt, president/CEO.
Stitt outlined major accomplishments including partnering with communities and businesses in growing job centers like New Albany and the Rickenbacker area to connect residents with jobs; providing more than a million passenger trips on the CBUS downtown circulator; securing Federal funding for the first Bus Rapid Transit line in the region; and preparing to launch COTA AirConnect, direct service between Downtown and Port Columbus International Airport, on May 2.
In response to the improved and expanded service, COTA provided more than 19 million passenger trips in both 2014 and 2015 – ridership levels not seen in Columbus since 1986.
In addition, COTA has saved millions of dollars in fuel costs by transitioning its diesel powered bus fleet to cleaner burning Compressed Natural Gas.
“We are pleased with the accomplishments since residents approved additional funding for COTA in 2006.” Stitt said. “We look forward to building upon that success.”
