Transit authority needs better rationale

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If Mayor Chris Beutler and the Lincoln City Council want to create a separate transit authority, they owe the community an explanation on how the change would benefit the public.

The officials already have figured out how a separate transit authority would make life easier for themselves.

Elected officials constantly find themselves between patrons who want better service and taxpayers complaining about paying subsidies. There’s little political benefit to be derived from managing the money-losing Star-Tran bus system.

No wonder elected officials would like to put some distance between them and unpleasant issues such as route changes and budget woes.

But how would creation of a new layer of government improve either service or efficiency from StarTran?

Although the recent spike in gas prices improved ridership, the bus system has never been able to come close to the glory days of the 1940s, when the buses were full of passengers.

In 1945, the bus system carried about 11.7 million riders. In 1950, when the city had a population of about 100,000, city buses carried about 10.6 million riders.

By 1970, city buses were carrying only about 2 million riders. Almost four decades later, the bus system is carrying about the same number of passengers, even though the city has spread and its population has grown to about 250,000 people.

StarTran’s operating budget for 2008-2009 is about $9.9 million. Only about $1.6 million of that cost will be covered by user fees.

The remaining $8.3 million comes from local, federal and state tax sources. The annual subsidy is equivalent to about $31 for each resident of the city.

There’s little doubt transit authorities are a commonly accepted feature of local government around the country.

Omaha’s Metro Area Transit authority was created in 1972, for example. It’s now run by a five-member board, appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council and county board.

Presumably the local officials have been congratulating themselves ever since about getting that problem off their regular agenda.

The example of the Railroad Transportation Safety District — ever heard of it? — shows how an ongoing community concern can be shunted off to the side, and concern about a tax nibble effectively quieted.

The present arrangement in Lincoln, with the Star Tran advisory board making recommendations and City Council and mayor holding final authority, at least ensures that no one can really forget about the local bus system — and its problems.

Because creation of a separate transit authority would require legislative authorization, there’s plenty of time for local officials to make the case on why this would be an improvement. Their constituents should insist on it.