Federal subsidy proposed for COTA, Ohio transit systems
Columbus Business First – Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has joined with other lawmakers to introduce a bill to provide emergency funding to transit systems across the country, including an estimated $4.8 million for the Central Ohio Transit Authority.
The Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010 aims to provide funding to rehire workers and restore service at transit systems, many of which have made cuts as tax-related revenue has dipped with the economic recession. The bill would allocate $2 billion to transit systems nationally, with $39.64 million earmarked for Ohio, said Brown spokeswoman Lauren Kulik. That money could go to 18 transit systems around the state, including $11.1 million to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, $7.3 million to the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority and $5.9 million to the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority.
Several major transit systems in Ohio have announced job and service cuts in recent months to save money, the release said.
“Too many transit agencies have to choose between cutting service, raising fares, or laying off workers. This bill would ensure that Ohio transit workers can continue to provide the service that so many Ohioans depend on,” Brown said in the release.
