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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bill To Help Sta Pay For City Street Repairs Runs Into Opposition Bus Mechanic Says $40 Million Needed To Preserve Bus System

Chris Mulick Staff writer

The city of Spokane’s attempt to use Spokane Transit Authority money for street repairs hit some rough road on Thursday.

A host of officials questioned the need for a proposal that would allow STA to help pay for street repairs with money from its reserve account.

The bill, SB 5430, is sponsored by Sen. Jim West, R-Spokane.

Thursday’s hearing before the Senate Transportation Committee was continued from Tuesday.

Although the bill would apply to public transit systems statewide, the focus quickly shifted to Spokane.

Dale Nusbaum, an STA mechanic, defended the agency’s $40 million reserve account, calling it “the future of our transportation system.

“A lot of people look at our reserve funds (and see) surplus funds,” he said. “We need that.”

STA uses its reserve account for capital replacement, alternative fuels conversion and self-insurance.

City officials say they need $6.5 million more per year to keep city streets in good shape. The city already spends $12 million annually.

Aaron Ostrom, speaking for the Washington Coalition for Transportation Alternatives, argued that cities should be more appreciative of their public transit systems.

“When did public transit become a burden on communities that needs to be nickel-and-dimed to death?” he asked. “It’s an asset and a smart investment.”

Not everyone spoke against the bill. Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, took exception to the notion that the proposal would allow cities to raid public transit coffers.

Under the bill, the board of directors for a public transit system would have to approve any contract with the city to help pay for road repairs.

“When you ‘contract with,’ that means there are two parties,” Benton told Nusbaum. “All we’re doing is giving (transit systems) the ability to contract, if they want to, with cities or counties. I don’t see the threat you bring forward.”

Nusbaum argued that because city and county officials make up the STA board, they might be more willing to divert the money.

He also dismissed arguments Assistant Spokane City Planner Dave Mandyke made Tuesday that buses do more than their share of damage. Bad weather, Nusbaum said, is the real threat to Spokane’s tattered streets.

Some questioned the need for the bill, because some cities already contract with public transit systems for various services through local agreements.

The city of Spokane, however, hasn’t contracted with STA because a 1988 attorney general’s opinion says public transit systems don’t have the power to contract with cities or counties to help pay for street repair.

, DataTimes