Loading...
008-12 - Resolution - Opposition of Kitsap Transit Board of CommissionersIntroduced by: Council Putaansuu Requested by: Council Putaansuu Drafted by: Interim City Clerk Introduced: February 28, 2012 Adopted: February 28, 2012 RESOLUTION NO. ooS-12 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON, SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITION OF THE KITSAP TRANSIT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORIZATION BILL, WHICH WOULD AFFECT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE MASS TRANSIT ACCOUNT OF THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND WHEREAS, Kitsap Transit was informed that the United States House of Representatives was considering a bill that would take the funding for public transportation out of the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund and place it in the General Fund, and; WHEREAS, the funding would be replaced, on a temporary basis, vvith a new "Alternative Transportation Account" amounting to a one-time forty billion ($4o,ooo,ooo,ooo) cash infusion from the General Fund for the years 2013 through 2016, and; WHEREAS, Kitsap Transit is unsure if the proposed funding from 2013 through 2016 will meet the agency's current federal funding expectations and budgeted amounts, and; WHEREAS, if approved by both chambers at the federal level, after 2016, this legislation would result in the annual allocation for transit being subject to competition with all the other demands being placed on the federal government's General Fund, and; WHEREAS, with the lack of guaranteed funding beyond 2016, Kitsap Transit bus fleet replacement and facilities capital projects would suffer through reduction or elimination or these projects would require the use of local funds, which could result in further reduction of service to our community, and; WHEREAS, effective planning is nearly impossible without any certainty of reliable federal funding appropriations, affecting not only Kitsap Transit's planning efforts but its cooperative efforts with other agencies for long-range planning county- wide, and; Resolution No. oo8-12 Page 2 of 2 WHEREAS, as a result of its potential impact locally and throughout the nation, both the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the transit agencies in the Puget Sound region; Community Transit and Everett Transit in Snohomish County, Sound Transit, Pierce Transit and King County Metro, have publicly stated their opposition to this bill; now, therefore THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: THAT: the City of Port Orchard supports the Kitsap Transit Board of Commissioners opposition to the U.S. House of Representatives Surface Transportation Authorization Bill, also known as House Resolution (H. R.) 7, which would affect the funding for public transportation now residing in the federal Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund PASSED by the City Council of the City of Pmt Orchard, SIGNED by the Mayor and attested by the Clerk in authentication of such passage this 28th day of February 2012. ,:inn~~~ Timothy C. M tthes, Mayor Bran y Rinearson, CMC, Intenm C1ty Clerk