Recommend setting the Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) for public transit funding at $90 million.

The amount of funding allocated to public transit in the FY 2000-2001 Biennium was $60.4 million. Since that time, public transportation funding has decreased, while the demands on the existing funding have increased. Factors that have affected public transit funding since 2001 have been the addition of new systems which impacts the available funds for existing systems by reducing appropriations to apply to the new systems. The state has not maintained a consistent level of funding to keep up with inflation and the growing demand for public transit service. The $90 million funding level consists of $76.6 million to restore the State’s public transit systems to FY 2000-2001 Biennium funding levels adjusted for inflation and $13.4 million in discretionary funds to be allocated by the Commission to address specific transit needs; including funding new starts, mitigating for funding anomalies and promoting statewide coordination.