California's raid on public transit ruled illegal; funds might be restored for California's transit agencies, but when and how?
I just received good news from a high-up manager at OCTA that transit agencies around California may be receiving state funding for transit operations once more (and I don't want to name them out of respect for them):
We have just been notified that the California Supreme Court that it has denied review of Shaw v. Chaing.
This means that the decision of the Third District Court of Appeal declaring unconstitutional the state's 2007-08 (1.18 billion) and subsequent diversions of Public Transportation Account funding away from public transit purposes is now final.
This doesn't necessarily mean that state transit agencies will be receiving funds — and OCTA still has to plan for their drastic March 2010 30% service cut. However, it could mean fewer cuts will occur in March 2010 than we think. Whether this wonderful scenario happens or not, let's hope that OCTA is actively working on the rest of their funds to salvage their bus operations.
Comments
Assuming OCTA receives the
Assuming OCTA receives the money, will they be just as quick to restore service as they were to cut it?
OCTA would restore service in 3-6 months
According to Winterbottom during the community meeting in Orange last week, should (and I'm paraphrasing) a "bucket of money fall from the sky, it would take OCTA 3-6 months to get service back."
I have a hard time believing him because a "bucket of money" known as the Obama Stimulus Plan didn't even go towards bus stations, real-time tracking, and ticket machines for their Bravo! "rapid bus" system, but instead to "repairing cement cracks" in their Irvine bus base.
I understand some of the cuts
I understand some of the cuts were due to lower revenue from Measure M. Restoration of the state fund may not be enough to totally restore all service.