March 7, 2008

TARTA opposes Ohio House Bill 480
Proposed state law unfairly singles-out Toledo Area

A potential threat exists to the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority’s continued service within the cities of Toledo, Sylvania, Maumee, Rossford and Perrysburg, as well as Sylvania Township, Spencer Township, Village of Ottawa Hills and Village of Waterville. On February 14, 2008, Ohio Representative Randy Gardner introduced House Bill 480. If enacted, this bill will allow communities to vote themselves out of Regional Transit Authorities without the consent of the other member communities.

House Bill 480 differs from a similar bill, House Bill 208 introduced in 2007, in two significant ways. First, along with granting permission to withdraw from a Regional Transit Authority (RTA), HB 480 also includes an unmanageable and unrealistic provision letting jurisdictions join and then withdraw after a three-year trial (opt-in clause). Second, the proposed legislation is discriminatory, since parameters contained in the proposal limit it only to TARTA.

In TARTAs’ opinion, enactment of HB 480 will threaten its existence. TARTA currently provides residents efficient and effective public transit options they have come to depend on and use including TARTA, TARPS, and Call-A-Ride. If any of these communities were to opt out of TARTA, these services will be discontinued, denying many residents transportation to jobs, medical appointments and other necessities of life. In addition, the impact on our organization would be significant as we would be forced to downsize if communities were able to leave TARTA.

TARTA favors continuing current regulations that require all members of an RTA to agree to the withdrawal of a current member from the RTA.

To gain support for this bill in the legislature, Representative Gardner has asked TARTA’s member communities to pass resolutions supporting this issue.

Therefore, TARTA encourages member community citizens, to contact their council representatives to express their concerns about the passage of such a resolution. Additionally, TARTA urges all member jurisdictions and patrons to contact their state legislators, especially their state representatives, and register their corporate and personal opposition to Ohio HB 480. Please feel free to use the portions of this TARTA statement that most clearly reflect your current situation. To contact your state legislator, go to http://www.legislature.state.oh.us

Reasons for TARTA Opposition
TARTA opposes Ohio House Bill 480 because the unilateral withdrawal of a member from TARTA will impact riders directly throughout the entire TARTA service area.

The withdrawal means residents within that area will no longer have transit services available to them. Further, riders from other areas will not be able to use public transit to access the withdrawn area. Such a withdrawal can create unnecessary transportation challenges across the state, instead of making it easier for residents to rely on public transportation.

The unilateral withdrawal of a member from an RTA will impact directly those who depend on public transit the most. The withdrawal will make it difficult, if not impossible, to move from place to place freely for those without personal transportation, without finances or who do not know how to drive. Also, it will make it difficult, if not impossible, for the mobility challenged to move freely from place to place.

The unilateral withdrawal of a member from an RTA and the resulting lack of public transportation could deny some residents living within the withdrawn area the ability to pursue employment, medical assistance, education, family visits and social and cultural opportunities. This goes against the very purpose upon which RTAs were founded – to ensure public transportation options are available to those who need them the most.

The unilateral withdrawal of a member from an RTA will have a direct, negative impact on the overall operation of the RTA to which it belonged. The withdrawal will require the RTA to adjust routes and budgets, both of which can cause inefficiencies and render previous scheduling ineffective. Making the necessary changes also will cause additional hardships within the organization with everything from union contracts to marketing efforts.

The unilateral withdrawal of a member from an RTA is unfair to other RTA member communities. The remaining members will have to take on additional responsibilities as a result of the withdrawal. Contracts and financial arrangements entered into in good faith by the various communities in the RTA may no longer be valid because of the withdrawal. Yet, the reasons underlying these contracts and financial arrangements will continue and solutions must be sought.

The unilateral withdrawal of a member from an RTA will increase the financial burden on the remaining communities, possibly creating instability. The fixed-cost burden and increasing energy costs will have to be spread over a smaller base, requiring those communities remaining to pay an increased portion of these costs. Such cost increases, eventually, will be passed on to the remaining riders, who often rely on public transportation as the most cost-effective transportation option.

The unilateral withdrawal of a member from an RTA will negatively impact the retention of existing businesses and industries within and outside of the RTA’s area by denying employees and potential clients/customers the ability to get to and from that business or industry. Further, the area’s ability to attract new business and industry will be hampered severely by the same inability on the part of employees and clients/customers.

The opt-in language, positioned as being pro-transit, is in reality unrealistic and unmanageable. HB 480 includes language which allows communities to enter the transit authority for a three-year trial period. Unfortunately, given the purchasing period of additional vehicles is 6-18 months along with the time necessary to attract and train employees, three years is not adequate time to begin all services and adequately demonstrate the value of public transit.

The bill clearly discriminates against TARTA. As written, HB 480 contains population and tax limitations that cover only one RTA in Ohio, TARTA. This is discrimination in its most blatant form. If HB 480 passes, the only RTA that will be required by law to both permit unilateral withdrawal of a member as well as the opting in of a nonmember in the geographic jurisdiction is TARTA. None of the state’s other RTAs will be so burdened or discriminated against.