Some East Pierce cities that have considered cutting ties with Pierce Transit because they were left this year with little or no service could be getting closer to leaving the transit district.
The impact on communities that remain allied with Pierce Transit: possibly, higher taxes.
At the transit agency’s board meeting later this month, it’s expected to consider launching a process that could lead to a redrawing of boundaries.
The mayors of Bonney Lake, Buckley and Orting – three cities that have been vocal about their transit concerns – said they favor going through the process.
“I can take not having service. What I can’t take is being taxed for service I’m not getting,” said Buckley Mayor Pat Johnson.
But the mayor of the largest affected city has more of a wait-and-see attitude.
“If we’re not going to get any service, why be in the district?” said Bonney Lake Mayor Neil Johnson. “But on the flip side of that, let’s go through the process and see what comes out of it.”
Pierce Transit still could come up with a way to provide more service to the eastern part of the county, and if that happens, “at least it gives us something to evaluate,” Johnson said.
If his city and others did depart, it would mean a loss of sales tax revenue for Pierce Transit. The agency collects a 0.6 percent sales tax within its boundaries, which today encompass about 414 square miles.
In 2010, it appears Bonney Lake, Buckley and Orting contributed a total of about $2.6 million in sales tax, based on state Department of Revenue data. That equals 4 percent of the transit agency’s total sales tax revenue that year.
“There definitely would be an impact on our revenue (if the cities no longer were part of transit), and it would definitely leave open the question of what revenue options would be available to Pierce Transit,” said Lars Erickson, the agency’s spokesman.
Options could include a sales tax increase in the remaining area.
Pierce Transit in February proposed a 0.3 percent sales tax increase, saying it needed the money to preserve service levels and make up for recessionary losses. The measure failed, and the agency since has cut service by 35 percent and laid off employees.
Redrawing boundaries could bring a better chance of success for future Pierce Transit tax measures by excluding voters who currently see no reason to cast “yes” votes.
Buckley and Orting no longer get any Pierce Transit service. Bonney Lake retained only a route to the Sounder station in Sumner.
Johnson, the Buckley mayor, said she’s glad Pierce Transit is looking at a boundary revision. It’s unfair for cities like hers to pay for service they’re not receiving, she said.
In Orting, officials also are “really happy to see that Pierce Transit is pursuing this path,” said Mayor Cheryl Temple. “We’re going to see what the outcome is. The city is interested in at least exploring” a change.
Officials from those two cities – along with leaders from Bonney Lake, DuPont and Steilacoom – met last year to talk about possibly leaving Pierce Transit.
In addition to the County Council, the boundary revision process can be initiated by two or more cities or by groups of citizens via petition.
The five local cities were frustrated by cuts on the horizon, but ultimately they didn’t withdraw.
Pierce Transit hasn’t gone through the process before, and the board hasn’t yet decided to initiate it now. Board members are expected to vote Nov. 14 on a resolution convening what’s called a Public Transportation Improvement Conference.
The conference would be comprised of elected officials from every city in the county, and a County Council member.
The group would elect a chairperson and complete a preliminary description of what the revised transit area boundaries would look like.
The public would be able to weigh in before the conference adopts any changes.
Erickson said the transit board “feels it’s important for communities to have a say (on boundaries), and to have a public discussion.”
He said the process likely would take about six months.
Sara Schilling: 253-552-7058
sara.schilling@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/street
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