[Ohio-talk] RTA News

[Cheryl Fields]

Richard that is a great idea. milena and I are brainstorming on local
issue first. She will post phone number of Mayors office for us to
call. Less than 7 days for decision.
State issue is ultra important too. I would suggest let's do
everything however, it would be beneficial if the state legislative
committee provides the most effective verbage for us to be heard
collectively, one voice with the same message. Letters, e mails, phone
calls, visits to our state reps offices... what ever it takes I'm in
favor of us doing it!
Stronger Together!...


On 2/15/17, Milena Zavoli via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Greetings Friends,
>
> I subscribe to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA or
> RTA) e-news.  If you're concerned about the future of public transportation
> in Cleveland, Ohio, here's an item of interest: The RTA budget for years to
> come.  The state budget doesn't only affect public transit in Cleveland, but
> throughout Ohio.  We all ride some form of public transportation and this
> issue concerns all of us.
>
> From the website:
>
> "Update on how State budget issues will affect RTA
> Feb 9, 2017
>
> CLEVELAND -- A new two-year State budget takes effect July 1. It will have a
> large impact on the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA).
>
> Here’s how
> Gov. John Kasich(link is external)
>  plans to help out counties and transit systems that depend largely on the
> sales tax for income. The budget must still be adopted by the
> Ohio General Assembly(link is external).
>
> Under new federal guidelines, the State of Ohio, each County in Ohio and
> each transit system that receives sales tax revenue, which includes RTA,
> would
> no longer receive a sales tax levied on Medicaid managed-care organizations.
>
> That means that RTA would lose $4.5 million in the fourth quarter of this
> year, $18 million in 2018, and every year moving forward.
>
> The proposed State budget addresses that issue.
>
> list of 3 items
> • Gov. Kasich’s plan would keep RTA whole in 2017, filling a $4.5 million
> hole that would have occurred in the fourth quarter.
> • For calendar year 2018, the State will allocate a one-time payment, based
> upon a needs formula to be developed, that will cover a percentage of the
> anticipated
> revenue loss. Based on the Governor’s proposal, RTA’s loss would be $2
> million.
> • There will be no State assistance for 2019 and beyond, so RTA will incur
> the full $18 million annual loss.
>
> CEO Joe Calabrese says RTA will continue to work with the NEO delegation in
> the General Assembly, and the Ohio Public Transit Association(link is
> external)
>  (OPTA), to obtain more funding.
>
> Feb 10, 2017
>
> CLEVELAND – The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) met with
> Federal Transit Administration (FTA) officials in Washington, D.C. on Feb.
> 9, 2017, to discuss the basis of the $12 million debt specified by the FTA
> for the breach of its Full Funding Grant Agreement, resulting from the
> closing
> of Superior Avenue within Public Square.
>
> RTA told the FTA that payment of the $12 million would cause it great
> financial harm.
>
> The FTA explained that the $12 million was a fraction of the actual debt.
> Based on Section 19 of the Full Funding Grant Agreement, any breach of the
> original
> agreement could result in a debt equal to all the Federal Funds for the
> entire Euclid Corridor Transportation Project, which is $142.8 million.
>
> FTA representatives specifically lauded the project for being the catalyst
> in creating more than
> $6.3 billion in economic development
> along the Euclid Corridor and referenced the recent
> study(link is external)
>  by Cleveland State University issued two weeks ago, which noted the
> doubling of high-paying jobs along the HealthLine since it began operation.
>
> RTA expects to hear back from the FTA at a later date.
>
> Currently, the date by which this roadway must be open to RTA, or the date
> by which the debt must be paid, is Feb. 21, 2017."
>
> Again, I remind you that we have a speaker, Erica Tucker, from RTA who will
> speak at our meeting on March 25th.  Although she deals with local RTA
> issues, there's no harm asking her about the transit budget as a whole.  I
> will post another reminder about the meeting as time draws near.
>
> All the Best,
> Milena Zavoli
>
>
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-- 
Wishing You All the Best,

Cheryl E. Fields


A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human
life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will
never sit.
--D. Elton Trueblood