Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) is seeking $701,727 from NorCo in 2026, and Executive Lamont McClure has proposed $701,800.
Exec. Director Owen O'Neill explained that this money is leveraged to obtain much larger grants from the state and federal government to operate and maintain our region's buses.
Funding for LANTA is based on the amount of service provided to each county. 57% of LANTA's bus system serves Lehigh County, while only 43% serves NorCo.
Although funding is uncertain as a result of a state budget impasse, O'Neill noted that SEPTA and Pittsburgh have been approved by PennDOT for flex funding, and LANTA has applied for this as well. If this application fails, O'Neill said there would likely be a 20% reduction in service in January. He also said fare increases have gone into effect. "We have tried to keep them stable as long as we can," he observed, adding that fares had not gone up since 2014.
Don't care. Stop making me pay for it. I live in a township that never sees a LANTA bus. The nearest bus stop is 4 miles away. I guess LANTA thinks I'm rich and don't need transportation.
ReplyDeletethey have to serve populations centers ... outlying areas don't typically have service unless you're elderly or disabled - there is a different service for that.
DeleteThe Lanta exec makes around 180,00 a year. What does his benefits cost? Start making sacrifices.
ReplyDeleteHe makes a lot more than that…
DeleteI love how salaries are attacked on here. Try finding a properly educated professional or someone with adequate experience to run a private organization or government agency for under 150-200k. You won't!
DeleteTypical MAGA. Guess we should shut down schools, hospitals, and fire departments too, because not everyone needs them everyday.
ReplyDeleteDismissing something because it doesn't serve you directly i how communities stop working for those who need them the most.
and you're a typical left nutwing
DeleteI blame the Russians.
DeleteWell it sounded like most of the NorCo fire departments dont have working radios. Something to do with the County going to a new system and all departments need updated radios to work at a cost of $12k per radio.
DeleteMAGA has no problem with shared responsibility of broad public needs. However, the (we) believe that local services should be largely funded by local authorities. Rather than look to Washington to buy buses, and Harrisburg for 'operating' funds, let's have the two 'funding'? counties pick up more of the tag. Now that can only be done if both DC and H-burg allow more tax money to stay in our two counties. I would reduce the Federal Dept of Transportation to focus (as is should) on interstate transportation issues, and let the states and localities handle local transit. Now that would have to come with returning (on a per capita basis) that funding that the states and/or localities send to DC. Public transit has proven to be a great barometer of what's wrong with our funding system. However, our local county execs are happy to just stick out their hands and hope and pray DC and H-burg come through.
DeleteIn theory, local control sounds fine, but in reality, local tax bases can’t sustain major transit systems. The Federal Transit Administration reports that about 45% of transit capital funding and nearly 20% of operating costs come from federal sources. Without that, most counties couldn’t afford reliable transit at all.
DeleteAlso, the idea that DC “takes” local money isn’t accurate, many states that push this argument actually get more in federal spending than they pay in taxes. Cutting federal support would hurt smaller and rural communities the most, not help them.
In theory, local control sounds fine, but in reality, local tax bases can’t sustain major transit systems. The Federal Transit Administration reports that about 45% of transit capital funding and nearly 20% of operating costs come from federal sources. Without that, most counties couldn’t afford reliable transit at all.
DeleteAlso, the idea that DC “takes” local money isn’t accurate, many states that push this argument actually get more in federal spending than they pay in taxes. Cutting federal support would hurt smaller and rural communities the most, not help them.
Empty busses driving around all day. Might be cheaper to give everybody Uber vouchers.
ReplyDeleteBecky is highly intelligent and a superior planner. She is a bit too cautious, but that comes with being really smart. Becky is a terrible Executive. She’s a Human Resources nightmare, and her financial management of the LVPC is atrocious. She’s built her Taj Mahal of a Triple Net office in a Jaindal building and now wants the taxpayers of BOTH Counties to bail her out. Kraft is right. Vote, “No.”
ReplyDeleteFrom the original post:
ReplyDeleteHe also said fare increases have gone into effect. "We have tried to keep them stable as long as we can," he observed, adding that fares had not gone up since 2014.
WHAT??? Fares haven’t been raised since 2014? And they’re looking for taxpayers to bail them out? Hell NO!
I’ll pay more for LANTA riders when I can go back to what I was paying in taxes (all of them) in 2014.
Anon 7:27 kinda makes my point. He/she, etc. lists percentages of money DC sends to local bus and train companies. My point is that if that federal money never left Pennsylvania in the first place, it would (might?) be better spent...and even more fairly spent. If I could wave a wand I would cut federal taxes to all individuals and businesses on the condition that each state raises their own taxes to compensate for the 'loss' of transportation funding. The old Block Grant approach is too much like a 'gift' to states from benevolent Federal overseers. I would to the same with education spending. The 10th Amendment says nothing about federal responsibility for local education or transportation...and lots of other endeavors absconded by the feds with the willing acquiescence of state governments. By the way: that's not MAGA, it is the political philosophy of Conservatives for generations....going back to Madison, Adams, et al.
ReplyDelete