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The Town Council originally had the Coyote Run Transit Service on the Town Budget chopping block for elimination in the FY2011/2012. The Town Council wanted to eliminate Coyote Run.
One Council Member, Bill Garner, recognized the severe burden that such quick elimination of Coyote Run would cause its users. So, he recommended diverting a percentage of the Town Budget Bed Tax Revenue to fund Coyote Run for the short term (one year) and it was approved.
Mayor Hiremath subsequently appointed a sub-committee of two councilmen, Lou Waters and Steve Solomon, to identify long-term Coyote Run alternatives. On October 24, this sub-committee recommended a Coyote Run alternative funding alternative for FY 2012/2013: The service would be run by the Pima County Regional Transit Authority (RTA).
It is claimed that this change will save Oro Valley $200,000 in 2012/2013.
This change requires that the RTA and the Town Council approve an Inter-Governmental Agreement (“IGA”) Amendment 1 to Resolution 11-02. This Resolution was signed in January 2011 for a Regional Circulator Transit Service in Oro Valley. This Resolution was the "toe-hold" that the RTA needed to get in to Oro Valley. Now, RTA is going to takeover Coyote Run.
It took me quite a while to get a copy of IGA Amendment 1. Finally,
after much misdirection, I was able to locate it on the RTA Web Site. Click here to read it.
This Wednesday's Oro Valley Town Council Meeting includes regular agenda item 1 which is the approval of this Amendment 1. I have not doubt that it will pass. This will 'save' Coyote Run as is for the year 2012/2013.
But what of the years beyond?
I predict that Coyote Run will disappear.
It does not make economic sense for the Town to ask to continue to be the Regional Service Contractor of Coyote Run once Amendment 1 expires in June 2013. Once they let this deal expire, RTA would replace Coyote Run with Handi-Car or a similar service. Handi-Car currently serves the rest of Pima County. Oro Valley would eliminate any responsibility for financing of or control over Coyote Run.
The Town of Oro Valley could then eliminate the position that Aimee Ramsey, Certified Community Transit Manager, holds and all the Coyote Run Drivers. The Town can dispose of all the Coyote Run assets. Additional savings would accrue to the town.
Coyote run would disappear.
Maybe RTA will fall in love with Coyote Run and continue to totally fund Coyote Run for Oro Valley and Handi-Car for the rest of Pima County.
Nah… I don’t think so.
John Musolf
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10 comments:
John,
I wanted to read the IGA Amendment 1, but was not able to connect to the link.
Thank you!
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I have fixed the link.
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John,
I believe that your presentation of information is tilted is such a manner as to be nothing more than political campaign rhetoric. While there is nothing wrong with that, it would be appropriate to add that as a disclaimer.
The Town Council has for a couple of years, been trying to remove the cost, NOT THE SERVICE, for Coyote Run from the Oro Valley books and place it where it should reside. That's the part that was left out of your post(conveniently???).
As you point out we have a regional transportation authority to which we all contribute a 1/2 cent sales tax. The Coyote Run cost reflected on the Oro Valley books is simply a double taxation for the same transportation.
Should the RTA decide at some point to eliminate the service, that's another battle for those involved.
The REAL issue is, when did it become the responsibility of government to provide non-emergency transportation services to the public.
It's been a long time since I closely studied our constitution, but I don't remember that requirement.
Objective Thinker,
Funny you mention in your post about double taxation. Lets see how quickly you embrace the concept of regionalism when it comes to the Oro Valley library. A true double tax to the citizens of Oro Valley and the last hold out in the Pima County Library system.
Speaking of adding a disclaimer to presentations maybe the Friends of Oro Valley library will want to add one as well since much of the information that comes from their organization is made up of misinformation and smoke and mirror rhetoric about character and charm lost with a turnover.
Hey ZeeMan how about a post about the Oro Valley library and how much they bleed out of the taxpayer's of Oro Valley?
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Greetings Common Sense Thinker,
According to Greg Caton's budget presentation, the "affiliate" library status costs the citizens of Oro Valley $1Million.
This is a steep price to pay for "autonomy".
A move to branch status would eliminate this premium.
But, Friends of the Library, let by the Dankwerths, will fight this every step of the way, claiming that the library is what makes Oro Valley unique.
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Common Sense Thinker,
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! As I was reading OVOT's post on double taxation, I was thinking about the double taxation we have with the library and how he supports THAT. Then I read your post and was so thankful that I wasn't the only one to catch that.
Common Sense....
I have a relatively long record of being opposed to our elaborate funding of the library. Some just choose to ignore fact when making posts.
The library system in Pima County appears to meet the needs of most county residents although I am confident that it could be run more efficiently. Getting folks who participate in this blog enthused about going after Huck Chuckleberry and the moronic taxes that they level against us versus the services we receive for that money has proven to be an effort in futility.
We entered into a onesided IGA at the beginning and have yet to negotiate our way out of it.
We should pay for any additional services that we require of a library but we don't even get reimbursed for standard every day supplies.
Perhaps cox aka "OVOT" will recall that there is an ongoing court case concerning the rigged 2006 RTA election that we're still paying for. (See auditaz.com)
Yeah! The same RTA that our mayor, Hiremath pushed to take over our award winning Coyote Run Bus Service, to the total dismay of our elderly and disabled neighbors that require this service.
Any wonder why Hiremath is so concerned?
Could it be because he is Vice Chairman---and evidently striving for Chairman of this Regional Transportation Authority---that we need, like we need a 3rd leg!
John Musolf knows completely what he is talking about!
Kind of reminds me of Monterey, CA!!
I agree with OVOT. He has posted - more than once - about the insane county taxes we pay. I see no interest - countywide - to fight the county concerning this issue. I shudder to think were the money goes.
We really need to kill the double Library tax!!
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