STA doesn’t need more money

The Spokane Transit Authority’s proposed 50 percent increase in our transit tax is extreme, and has no rational justification. It just wants to expand the system at taxpayers’ expense.

The 6-mile, $72 million Central City Line is exorbitant even by public expenditure standards. STA has existing buses that can run that line at much less cost but chooses to go electric. Officials claim state and federal dollars will help pay for the expansion. But these are tax dollars that those governments could better spend elsewhere than on an over-built transit system.

STA also claims it will have to cut back service if this tax is turned down. Yet it has a $56 million cash reserve. And its fares run at less than the desired 20 percent of revenues. Perhaps officials should consider increasing fares first.

And what is magical about fares only being 20 percent of revenues? Some suggest that STA come back and request less money. No, it does not need more money. The transit system can meet our needs with no additional taxes.

Kent Aggers

Spokane