Apr. 12—Tri-Cities transit board leaders won't ask taxpayers to make a $200 million decision this fall.
Ben Franklin Transit's leaders decided to delay a possible November vote on cutting its sales tax collection at least until statewide voters decide what to do with a controversial carbon tax.
The decision to wait until the impact of the Washington initiative to repeal the carbon tax followed an emotional hearing with a packed house of angry commenters and hundreds of letters sent in. Commenters pointed out that many others had to leave to catch a bus home before getting a chance to speak.
The board had one upset person removed from the nearly 4-hour session.
After a heated discussion between board members, they found one thing they could agree on — that they can't make a decision on asking voters to cut the sales tax until they know if they will face an additional $70 million funding loss.
If voters agree to reduce the sales tax, the initial loss of revenue would cost the agency an estimated $130 million, starting at $9.2 million in the first full year and growing $200,000 each year.
On top of that, cutting their tax rate would immediately trigger the loss of funding from the state's carbon tax for another $70 million loss, whether it is repealed or not. That would bring total losses to $200 million over the next 13 years, with the potential to go much higher because federal funds would also be at risk.
The transit agency already was working to find efficiencies in case that initiative passes, according to a presentation at the meeting.
Those funds are particularly hard to replace because they do not require the agency to put up matching money, Interim General Manager Sarah Funk explained..
Reducing their sales tax collection also would likely result in service cuts that will put other state and federal funding at risk.
Phased-in cuts would have started next spring, resulting in a ridership loss of 15% to 20%, according to the transit board's presentation.
If placed on a future ballot, residents in the transit service area in Benton and Franklin counties would have to approve the measure for it to pass. It cannot pass in one county but not in the other.
Board discussion
The Ben Franklin Transit Board has nine voting members who are elected leaders from Benton and Franklin counties and the six cities, as well as a non-voting member from the transit system's union. The cities include Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, West Richland, Benton City and Prosser.
The meeting was contentious, even between board members, ahead of the final vote.
Board member Brad Beauchamp, who represents the Kennewick City Council, said that he wanted to stress that it's not the BFT board voting on a tax cut, they're allowing the public to make the decision.
He said that for the past 15 years the transit agency has been spending its way into a hole without having serious conversations about the long-term impacts of a growing budget.
Board member Kurt Maier, representing Richland's City Council, countered that putting a referendum on the ballot is paramount to an endorsement or recommendation.
Beauchamp agreed that their individual votes would hold weight in the eyes of the public, but said ultimately it is Tri-Cities voters who will decide.
Maier and Clint Didier, who represents Franklin County, clashed during the meeting, with Maier pushing back when Didier made several incorrect statements about the transit systems operations.
Maier later asked members of the board pushing for the tax cut vote to tell him exactly who the 0.1 cent reduction was supposed to be helping.
Beauchamp said it was about beginning to move the needle.
"If we don't get this in hand, we will be bankrupt because of spending like drunken sailors," Didier said.
Despite their earlier clash, it was Didier and Maier who first found common ground on the need for more information before making a decision.
Fare prices
According to the agency's Citizens Advisory Network, the cuts would require a huge increase in fare price to make up for the lost funding if the agency were to try and maintain service at its current level.
Matthew Howie, speaking for the advisory group, said the group estimated that the 0.1 cent sales tax reduction would result in average savings per year of $21.52 for Tri-Citians, while triggering staggering funding losses.
The transit agency currently collects 0.6 cents per dollar in sales tax, or 6 cents on a $10 dollar purchase.
He told the board the cuts to service would impact the people who need those services the most.
"That amount of savings is inconsequential, in our opinion, compared to the impact it would have," Howie said.
Advocacy group Transportation Choices said the transit agency has received more than 500 comments from riders urging them not to reduce the sales tax collection. The comments came through an online portal they created.
Russell Shjerven, secretary of Teamsters Local Union No. 839 which represents transit bus drivers, said in a statement sent to the Tri-City Herald that the union is concerned about the potential for layoffs, wasted money spent training drivers who could be let go and how the service cuts would impact riders.
Shjerven said they were happy with the board's decision to maintain its current funding.
Public comments
He also took issue with the board's push to limit public comments for the second time in less than six months.
"In another slap to the face of the taxpaying community, BFT's Board of Directors is limiting the public comment section of the Board of Directors meetings to only 30 minutes, which means at a 3-minute limit per person, only 10 hard-working taxpayers could address the Board of Directors monthly," he wrote. "This after limiting the taxpaying public's ability to only address concerns that are on the evening's Agenda. Whatever happened to the First Amendment?"
Former BFT Director Ed Frost asked for clarification on whether the new change would revert the agenda-only comments rule, and board members indicated it would, meaning comment periods would again be open to any comments.
The board also heard from more than a dozen members of the community who implored them not to risk the transit agency's funding.
Public outcry
Raul Sital, assistant superintendent of operations for Pasco schools implored the board to reconsider putting a potential cut before voters.
He said that during the pandemic the transit system emerged as a vital lifeline for the Pasco school community, calling it a beacon of service and opportunity for families.
"( Ben Franklin Transit) has been instrumental in assuring the seamless transportation of students across east and west Pasco," he said. "Many families rely on BFT out of necessity, not convenience ... Sustaining funding for BFT isn't about maintaining bus routes, it's about upholding values of equity and access, ensuring everyone in our community has the means to thrive."
Bill Barlow, Ben Franklin Transit planning manager, reminded the board that each of them had in their roles as city council members and county commissioners approved growth plans for the future of the Tri-Cities with access in mind.
"These are the boards you sit on, these are your (comprehensive) plans and they say we need to connect the cities," he said.
Barlow, who is retiring, was separately honored for his years of service.
Carol Larkin told the board the cuts would impact the people who need services the most, leaving people without a way home from work and impacting services to disabled riders and senior citizens.
"This hardly seems worth it with the loss of jobs this would cut," Larkin said. "To me (these services) say we care about everyone and want them to flourish. This helps our businesses and health services. There is too much to lose and too little to gain."
The potential cuts would have been wide ranging, impacting everything from eliminating Sunday service to ending "to the door" help for Dial-A-Ride riders.
Kirk Hovenkotter, Executive Director of the Transportation Choices Coalition, said that they will continue fighting to ensure Tri-Citians have access to transportation.
"Since 2021, hundreds of people have made public comments and sent thousands of letters to Board members to speak out against harmful and unnecessary cuts to transit and paratransit service," Hovenkotter said in a news release. "We are grateful for these champions and for the board making the right call. We're not going anywhere — and neither is the coalition of people and organizations who have fought tirelessly to keep buses running for everyone in the Tri-Cities region who depends on Ben Franklin Transit to get where they need to go. We look forward to working with the BFT Board and staff to deliver the transit service that riders in the Tri-Cities deserve."
This story was originally published April 12, 2024, 5:00 AM.
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