Kootenai County officials debate shifting liability for public transit to cities

COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners will discuss a joint powers agreement with cities that would make it difficult for the county’s public transit system to connect with Spokane in the future. 

Commissioner Bruce Mattare floated the concept Tuesday. 

“A lot of people do not want (public transit) connected to Spokane,” he said. “I agree with that. I see no reason why we want our public transit system to be connected to Spokane, but the reality is we are two commissioners away from that ever happening.” 

Under Mattare’s proposal, connecting Kootenai County’s public transit services to Spokane would require “unanimous agreement” from the involved entities, including city councils. 

Mattare said the goal is to make it difficult to establish such a connection in the future, as well as to have cities shoulder more of the burden when it comes to public transit.

“It will allow us to share the liability,” he said.

Commissioner Bill Brooks said he’s in favor of the concept. 

“We’re taking on the liability,” he said. “We should share some of the responsibility with the cities. They’re certainly benefiting more than anyone in the county outside the city limits.” 

Though Commissioner Leslie Duncan said she welcomes a conversation with city leaders about the proposal, she expressed some reservations. 

“It is expanding government,” she said. “It will make the program more costly.” 

She also noted that city taxpayers contribute to public transport, not only county taxpayers. 

Mattare said public transit is not a state-mandated service and questioned why the county provides it. 

“I have a number of constituents who ask me about transit and why the county runs it, and sometimes people say they would like to see it eliminated,” he said. “I don’t think that’s really an option. We started this program. We built it up. It does serve many of the cities and the county, but the reality is that almost all of the benefit does go to the cities and all of the liability goes to the county.” 

Commissioners will likely broach the topic at their next meeting with area mayors, set for Oct. 9. 

“If the cities don’t want (the joint powers agreement), then that sends a message to us, as well, which is that the cities don’t want to participate but they want the counties to keep doing this function for them,” Mattare said.