At the last Hillsborough Area Transit Agency's (HART) meeting held earlier this month, board members reviewed two different funding proposals for the next fiscal year. The first proposal, which would result if board members approve an increase in the millage rate, would eliminate only a small percentage of services. The other proposal – that won't raise anyone's taxes – would result in considerably more bus routes being cut. Either way, there will be less revenues coming into the agency in fiscal year 2012.
The future of transit in Hillsborough County doesn't look it will be improving much after that, as the strong possibility exists that there will be less federal funding in the outgoing years. That was the message that was delivered on Monday morning by Mary Shavalier, Chief of Strategic Planning and Program Development for the transit agency.
This article appears in Jun 16-22, 2011.