City commissioners this evening backed off a plan to cut the hours of the city's public transit system, but stuck to their plan to increase the property tax rate by 0.425 mills.
Commissioners two weeks ago had tentatively agreed to cut the service hours for the T from 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. But after receiving much public comment in the last two weeks, a majority of commissioners reversed course.
The 0.425 mill levy increase will go towards funding the public transit system. To keep the hours unchanged also will require that about $600,000 be transferred from a city equipment reserve fund.
A mill represents $1 in property tax for every $1,000 in assessed valuation that person owns in property.
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nell (anonymous) says…
Hail Hail! I was disappointed with Chestunt's decisions on the budget, in particular, but am glad the commissioners have been swayed (Amyx in particular) to support this critical resource that IS enjoying increased popularity.
Lawrence has been a single-occupant-vehicle town for decades. When I moved here in 1980 I couldn't believe that you could do drive in laundry and liquour. It takes time to change, and the city has. The T is a progressive and responsible sign of that change and growth.
Godot (anonymous) says…
So much for letter writing. Apparently the only thing that influences this bunch is public demonstration of emotion. Logic, common sense, and budgetary reality have absolutely no influence on them.
Time for a group of senior citizen property owners to show up at a commission meeting, en masse, throw their water bills, utility bills, and property tax statements,. along with food and pharmaceutical bills, at the commissioners and demand that the commissioners tell them which ones they should pay first.
Then they should ask the commissioners to tell them which of the city employees who got a raise is going to help them eat next month.