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Show pm j? salt lake free not for sale volume one aprii 13, 1972 Free Fare Busing Advocate Outlines Program . . . No Service Fare-Bett- er by Kirk Terry As an ultimate goal, Taylor said, this plan would provide Samuel S. Taylor, freshman UTA the funding needed to purchase 45 new buses annually for three years after the first year State Representative and advocate of "No Additional Charge" (Free Fare) mass transit busing, disclosed the wot kings of his proposed one half percent sales tax increase program that could provide, he said, Utah Transit Authority (UTA) with sufficient capital to buy more buses, increase the number of routes, run on more timely schedules and provide enough operating money so no fare would need to be charged. His proposal cabs for an increase in sales tax from the present 42 percent to 5 percent with the revenue from the additional one half percent being between UTA and shared 60-4the city. Taylor said that the 60 percent share represents over $4 million for UTA annually. 0 Presently, he said, UTA has an operating budget of only $1.25 million. The present budget, he said, doesn't really provide for expansion within UTA, only the eventual replacement of the 51 of existing 72 UTA buses which are 16 years or older. He said that an increase in UTA operating funds from the increased sales tax would, in the first year, enable UTA to purchase 90 new buses and ... increase the number and destination of routes. Additional buses could be assigned to current routes reducing the excessive waiting time citizens say is a liability with the present system. Money from the increased funding set aside for operating costs, said Taylor, would take over the system of charging fare presently used to cover operating expenses within UTA. The fare money assessed will be eliminated, he said, by this plan providing a total "No Additional that is Charge" busing system. plan is implemented. This expanded capital funding plan, along with federal sharing would provide UTA some 230 buses giving UTA the capacity of a county wide free fare service in four years, he said Shuttles could be set up to other cities within the larger portion of the county and other centers o of work or interest. The increased sales tax . could offer busing to the schools. Presently, he said, the school buses sit in their lots, are used only a few hours a day, and represent a sizable amount of money the districts would not have to spend if the 160 local school buses were integrated with Representative Samuel S. Taylor has been working for "free fare" busing in Salt Lake. UTA. The present budget of UTA doesn't cover effectively the capital investment and operating cost factors this plan does, said Taylor. "It is my belief, no matter what they (UTA) do, they won't get any expanded service." He said that in the next 10 years, funding of UTA, said Taylor, UTA has planned for the would do away with the purchase of only 100 new buses. Taylor stressed the point that already 51 of the existing 72 buses are now 16 years or older and must be replaced. Past UTA proposals to increase services by other means of funding have not met with his approval, the Representative said On November 10, 1971, Taylor cited, UTA President William Fields told the Wasatch Front inflexible method of charging fares completely. Taylor pointed out that a person living closer to his destination pays the same fare the person living further away. He said that the present method of zoning charges is inadequate as far as the fare actually reflecting the cost of service the commuter pays for. This whole plan, the only one of its kind in the nation, said Taylor, would do away with fares, zones and transfer charges. as Representative Taylor showed some charts he 'had prepared concerning the tax funding plan. One chart showed that a four or five unit family with an income wherein $4,000 of that income was speni and subsequently affected by sales tax, would pay $20.00 into the sales tax additional one half percent, UTA would receive its 60 percent or $12.00. The chart indicated that the family would cent rides, 25 have to make 34-6- 80 cent rides, or 20 - $1 .00 rides to balance out the $20.00 in additional sales tax they paid in for the no fare service. The proposed plan would permit the contracting of UTA buses by the local school districts. Taylor said that when the volume of busing is reached by UTA they 0 . Regional Council that he (Fields) feels UTA should be given a separate taxing authority. Taylor said he is in disagreement with Fields that UTA should be given the authority to tax. "If we ate to be taxed, why shouldn't the tax be the fare?" he asked. The comments made in the August 1 6 issue of the T ribune by William Oswald, UTA legal council, said Taylor, asking for a garbage collection and car registration tax funding of UTA doesn't reflect a good means of opposition from 'he city, UTA, and the county. His free fare bill was killed in legislature session January 21 of this yeai . The busing advocate showed copies of letters from the Ogden and Salt Lake Chambers of Commerce that were mailed to cpvernment, he said. Taylor said how can Oswald and Fields represent the public and the Chamber at the same time. The Representative also spoke out against the Mayor, Jake State Garn, for his opposition to the bill for free fare busing. He said Chambers of Commerce the Mayor feels there are other priorities to be considered. One is that anincreaseof 100 policemen is being sought by the City, he said. "The Mayor also wants all of the sales tax money to go to the City," he said. The mood of the last budget session, cited Taylor, was another factor killing his bill. He said that a vote of 42 to 25 was what decided the action and that nine Legislators post marked January 21, 1972, but received January 24. The plain envelopes contained the letters stating the respective Chambers support of a county wide transit system. The resolutions said the two city recognized the need for effective county wide, mote over, Wasatch Front wide busing service. The resolutions contained nothing concerning free fare, but Taylor said he couldn't understand why the letters, supporting mass transit in general, weren't mailed earlier to State Legislators. The resolution of the Ogden Chamber of Commerce was filed December 1,1 971; the resolution from Salt Lake was filed December 14, 1971. Again The city pays UTA about $300,000 annually, said Taylor. The new sales tax proposal would Taylor stressed the opposition the bill has met, along with the account of the delayed letters that support county wide busing. Taylor said he has asked for the resignation of both Fields and Oswald because of conflicts of not only return that money to the city, he said, but the city's share of the 40 percent of the increased one half percent sales tax would fill the city coffers even more. Taylor said that his free fare bill has met a great deal of officially connected with the Chamber of Commerce with Oswald being Legal Council for not only UTA but also for the Chamber. "The Chamber has not supported the sales tax transit funding plan fundingforthe sinking UTA. because it wants a sales tax increase but with all of it going to local city and county interest. Both are Salt Lake County Republicans voted against the bill. Taylor said that his plan is only a temporary stimulus for a staggering UTA. He said that the State could take over the funding of UTA when this initial plan has served its purpose of providing the benefits of expanded county wide free fare Representative service. Addressing himself to ecology, Taylor said that he figures it would take nearly 500 buses to make any sizeable dent in the air pollution of the area. He said an efficient busing plan could bring people out of their cars and cut down traffic congestion, but that these are far reaching aspects of mass transit, "No Additional Charge" busing and not a part of his immediate conept of local busing. - |
