Transit authority ballot proposal considered

POST FALLS — The region's transportation planning board will decide on May 19 whether to start the decisionmaking process on whether to create a regional public transportation authority (RPTA) in Kootenai County.

The Kootenai County Metropolitan Planning Organization (KMPO) — which includes representatives from area cities, the county, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, highway districts and the state — on Thursday delayed a vote until next month on whether to send the proposal to county commissioners.

County commissioners would then need to approve sending the

question to voters for the November ballot. A simple majority vote from Kootenai County voters, if the proposal makes it that far, would be needed for the proposal to pass.

An RPTA is a government agency that coordinates services, monitors how federal grant money is spent and secures funding through federal and local sources. The RPTA would not replace KMPO, which handles transportation planning.

Jim Kackman, who represents the Tribe on the KMPO board, said the Tribe supports sending an RPTA ballot measure to voters. He said the Tribe has been hopeful in recent years that other jurisdictions can chip in more to help fund Citylink, the area's free public transportation system.

Kackman said the Tribe remains committed matching funds it provides to the federal funds for the system but it needs more help.

"(The system) has had growing pains lately and we are shouldering more of the burden, which is a problem," he said. "I don't know if the Tribe will pay this much forever, but the answer to that is probably no. There has to be a point at which all benefitting jurisdictions recognize their proportionate share and shoulder that burden. We are going to stay supportive, but we're looking for some help."

There were 187,000 rides aboard Citylink last fiscal year. The system offers routes in Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden, Dalton Gardens, Huetter, to the Coeur d'Alene Casino and Benewah County. It started in 2005.

The estimated cost for Citylink for this fiscal year is $1.39 million. Federal funds pay for more than half of that amount. The rest is funded by the Tribe, county, area cities and Kootenai Health. The county administers the system.

The Tribe's share this year was $225,000, while six area cities chipped in a combined $80,000.

RPTAs are governed through a board of directors and do not have taxing authority. They form partnerships with businesses, colleges and nonprofits to secure more funding for public transit.

However, staffers at Kootenai County's Transit Office said they have already begun exploring such partnerships. They said a cashless fare system with the rate to be determined is planned for Citylink based on a recently-completed survey it tapped a consultant for and other data it has gathered to modernize the bus system such as with safety and rider convenience improvements.

Jody Bieze, the county's Grants Management Office director, encouraged the KMPO board to not make a decision on whether to start the RPTA process until she has had time to approach area cities later this month and in early May on whether they can increase their portions to Citylink. She said she hasn't asked the Tribe what it believes its fair share for Citylink should be.

"We have been leading the transit charge over the past three years, and no one knows it as well as we do," she told the board. "If you promote (the creation of an RPTA) we respectfully request that we be your best resource."

Bieze said she was upset that Glenn Miles, KMPO executive director, didn't include her when the RPTA talks came up earlier.

"It would have been nice to be a part of the conversation," she said. "I was not involved in the communication. I'll leave it at that. It is important to have collaboration."

When Bieze offered Miles a chance to respond and a board member said he could tell Miles wanted to, Miles simply said, "I'm not interested in going back and forth."

RPTAs were also bantered by KMPO in 2010 and 2012, but a proposal didn't make it to the ballot either year. If a proposal is sent to voters, it can only be done in even-numbered years.

There are two RPTAs in Idaho, including Bonneville County (Idaho Falls area) and Ada and Canyon counties (Boise area).

Kelli Fairless, executive director of Valley Regional Transit, spoke to KMPO on Thursday about that authority's background, challenges and successes to give board members a better idea of how RPTAs work.

Rod Twete, who represents Lakes Highway District on KMPO, said what works in Boise may not be best for this area.

"What benefit will we get (with an RPTA) over what we have already?" Twete said. "I think what we have seems to be working quite well. I can understand why Boise got one. Animosity has been going on there for years."

The May 19 KMPO meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. at Post Falls City Hall.