Kootenai County commissioners debate public transit funding

COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners will consider whether funding for public transit services should be levied.

Right now, major revenue streams for public transit are Federal Transit Authority and Idaho Transportation Department grants. 

In Fiscal Year 2024, transit’s $379,266 budget represented about 0.2% of the county’s overall $141 million budget. 

Transit’s 2023 operating expenses totaled a little more than $678,000, about $670,000 of which was paid through federal grant funds. Those grants also paid for more than $290,000 in capital expenses, while local grant funding covered the remaining $205,000 in capital expenses. 

The public transportation system was 100% grant funded in 2023, according to the county. 

For the coming fiscal year, program manager Chad Ingle said five cities within Kootenai County will contribute about $163,000 combined for transit. The city of Coeur d’Alene is expected to contribute the lion’s share, about $101,000. 

The county has $500,000 in assigned fund balance available for grant funds, according to county staff. Ingle has asked commissioners to make $200,000 of those funds available to transit in order to match grant funds, if necessary. 

“It’s money the board already puts aside for grant match,” he said. “It’s nothing new that is being levied.” 

County finance director Brandi Falcon said other departments have not touched those funds for years and the money would only be used with the specific approval of commissioners. 

“It will not be appropriated and put into transit’s budget until the board signs a legally binding grant agreement,” Falcon said. “It would only get spent as grant agreements come forward and as the board agrees to use it throughout the year.” 

Commissioner Bruce Mattare said he doesn’t want to assign any grant match funds to transit. The money should be levied, he said, because the expense is recurring. 

“The reality is this isn’t a state-mandated service for the county,” Mattare said. 

Commissioner Leslie Duncan indicated she would rather assign the funds to transit and monitor the situation quarterly.