CANTON – The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority will seek to renew — not increase — its existing sales tax levy this November.
During a two-hour special meeting on July 8, the transit board and its executive staff debated the merits and risks of seeking a 0.1% sales tax increase. Voters rejected the same increase in May by a 1,727-vote margin.
“I think everyone had an opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions,” board President Gregory Blasiman said after the meeting at SARTA headquarters.
SARTA’s current sales tax expires in September 2027. Voters first approved a 0.25% sales tax to fund the public transit service in 1997, and SARTA has not requested an increase since.
Executive staff members made their case for continuing to campaign for an increase, but several board members expressed reservations because of the political and economic climate. Others questioned whether there was enough time to adequately educate voters.
“The calendar’s just not our friend on this,” board member Christopher Nichols said.
SARTA’s funding needs
He and several other board members agreed that SARTA needs more money to provide countywide services but would have a better chance of securing a 10-year renewal. Nichols said he would rather secure a renewal and “lay the groundwork” for a future increase than risk a lack of funding.
“We only lost by a small margin,” Tammy Brown, SARTA’s director of Human Resources, countered.
Brown said that previous cuts to SARTA services and confusion contributed to the levy’s defeat and that continuing the status quo would not serve all residents or build trust.
SARTA operates 24 fixed bus routes in Alliance, Akron, Canton, Jackson Township, Louisville, Massillon, and North Canton. There is also a Proline service that can be scheduled for people who can not independently use the fixed routes.
SARTA officials have said that additional money would allow the agency to update vehicles, some of which are nine years old, and restore services cut in recent years. A new bus costs roughly $700,000 to $800,000.
SARTA board reaches decision
CEO Ralph Lee said that SARTA could have done more voter registration and door-to-door outreach, but he doesn’t expect an increase campaign to be any easier in a few years. He said SARTA has a team that wants to “win.”
“It’s definitely doable with our people,” Lee said.
Before they voted, multiple board members said their reluctance to seek an increase was not a reflection on the staff’s capabilities.
SARTA currently has about $8.1 million in cash reserves. But if a new levy isn’t passed until May 2027, there would be a three-month period between the current levy’s expiration and new collections — resulting in an estimated $5 million loss.
Board member James Reinhard said he would be “open to an increase” but wanted more research and data to be behind the request.
“We need to convince the average voter why this is a good idea for Stark County,” he said.
The board voted first to place a renewal levy on the ballot. NaSheka Combs-Lemon was the only board member to vote “no.” She then motioned for a vote on an increase levy, which failed.
Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.com
This article originally appeared on The Repository: SARTA won’t seek more money from voters as board agrees to renewal
Reporting by Kelly Byer, Canton Repository / The Repository
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By Kelly Byer, Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
