Transportation authority could make November ballot

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

When it comes to discussing a regional transportation authority, there are more questions than answers. "Just what is an RTA, anyway, and why should I care?" is a common question.

A panel of transportation officials and RTA steering committee members attempted to answer those questions at a League of Women Voters forum on April 16. Three other informational meetings have been held in northern Colorado recently to explain the RTA concept and get public feedback.

Backers of the RTA idea are hoping to get a measure on this November's ballot that would seek approval for the taxing authority and provide a list of transportation projects to be funded by the RTA.

For the most part, attendance at the forums has been low, indicating that the push for an RTA has yet to show up on the public's radar. But a draft list of transportation projects is expected to be ready by May 3, and those involved hope the list will drum up more public interest and support.

"I'm convinced that once you get the project list out there, the people will rally around it," said Kurt Kastein, one of four panel members at the LWV forum. Kastein served on the Fort Collins City Council for eight years and was involved in transportation issues.

An RTA would raise money for regional transportation projects, including both roads and mass transit, through sales or user taxes. The region in this case would be the urban area encompassing Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley and several smaller communities, as well as any county governments that chose to participate. Weld County has already opted out of the project, and Greeley officials have set certain conditions for their involvement.

A 35-member steering committee representing business, government, and environmental and civic groups has been working to craft a palatable RTA plan. Challenges include how to keep all communities happy with the project list, how to divide the pie between road and transit projects, and what type of tax to impose to pay for the projects.

The RTA idea was developed in response to frustration over the long list of transportation needs in northern Colorado and the dwindling amount of federal and state money to take care of them. According to John Daggett, a planning manager for the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization, there are about $3 billion in identified needs for the region over the next 20 years.

Part of the funding problem, Daggett said, is the erosion of gas tax dollars. As people drive more gas-efficient vehicles, this revenue source declines. At the same time, costs for repairing and building roads are rising rapidly.

An RTA may choose among four types of taxes: a sales tax up to 1 percent, a use tax up to 1 percent, a lodging tax, or a $10 fee added to vehicle registrations. Daggett said a sales tax would likely be part of the funding plan because it would generate the most money. A sales tax would likely run for 10 to 20 years, and a 1-percent sales tax would generate about $50 million a year. The committee could recommend a sales tax less than 1 percent.

Road/transit debated

Panel member Roger Hoffmann, a member of the steering committee, said there are wide differences of opinion on the committee regarding the road/transit mix. The majority of the steering committee, he said, favor putting a total of 20 to 25 percent of RTA funds into mass transit, with very little going to rail projects.

Hoffmann said he holds the minority view that more money should go to mass transit, especially rail, and he thinks voters would support his position. He pointed out that it's easier to add capacity to a transit system, such as more buses or another rail car, than to add lanes to a road system.

Shareback considered

A big challenge, panel members said, is to get people to think regionally in terms of transportation needs instead of focusing just on projects close to home. To sweeten the pot, the committee is looking at the possibility of "shareback" dollars as part of the mix. The majority of funds would be spent on regional projects, but local communities would have control of how the shareback dollars are spent.

Hoffmann said the committee would like to get the RTA issue on the ballot this year to be "the first in line at the cookie jar." There aren't many other tax issues that will be put before voters this year, whereas 2008 is likely to see other requests for money, he noted.

However, much work remains to be done before the public can vote on an RTA. Once the steering committee comes up with a proposal, local governments must agree to the plan and intergovernmental agreements must be drawn up. The deadline for putting an issue on the November ballot is Sept. 7.

For more information about the RTA proposal and a draft list of transportation projects, people may visit www.nfrta.com.