HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-29-2020 Public Comment - M. Egge - Budget for Streamline BusFrom:Mark Egge
To:Agenda
Subject:Budget - Streamline Transit Funding
Date:Friday, May 29, 2020 8:29:48 PM
Mr. Mayor and Commissioners—
In the city's preliminary budget for the next fiscal year, the city hasallocated to Streamline Transit only half of Streamline's funding request.
Fully funding Streamline's funding request will help Streamline towards its
goal of establishing an Urban Transit District—which would eventually
remove transit from the city's general fund (just like the Parks and TrailsDistrict)—and is essential to meeting the multimodal transportation needs
of a growing city.
For a city that is serious about tackling affordability and climate change,I'm surprised that these priorities are not better reflected in its funding
allocation for Streamline Transit.
For most households, transportation is the largest living expense afterhousing. Planners often speak of the H+T (housing and transportation)
index when describing an area's affordability. AAA estimates the cost of
owning and operating a vehicle at over $8000 per year. It follows that
enabling a household to meet its mobility needs with one vehicle ratherthan two puts an average of $667 per month back into the household's
budget for childcare, rent, medical expenses, or possibly saving toward a
down payment on a house.
In regards to climate change, more than a third of Bozeman's greenhouse
gas emissions are climate related. During their recent campaigns,
Commissioner Wallner and Deputy Mayor Andrus both affirmed transit's
important role in reducing transportation-related greenhouse gasemissions. Deputy Mayor Andrus even suggested acquiring electric buses,
which is a wonderful suggestion, but please note that at the city's
proposed funding level, it would take five years for Streamline to afford
even a single $750,000 electric bus.
On average, the city spends approximately $20m per year on
transportation—of which only a small fraction is spent supporting the
modes most aligned with the city's strategic goals. Fully fundingStreamline's $300,000 request for the coming year will support a viableand effective system that reduces the cost of living in Bozeman, help us
make progress toward achieving our climate goals; and aid Streamline in
establishing an Urban Transit District.
Thank you for your consideration,
Mark Egge
542 North Black Avenue