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Council approves Bloomington Public Transportation budget for 2026, transit manager outlines federal match and electrification progress
Summary
The council unanimously adopted appropriation ordinance 2025‑12 to set Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation’s 2026 budget at $19,383,402. General Manager John Connell said there have been no changes since the prior presentation and described use of local ED LIT funds as federal match that helped secure funding for battery electric buses.
The Bloomington Common Council unanimously adopted appropriation ordinance 2025‑12, approving the Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation’s 2026 budget of $19,383,402 and a proposed tax levy of 0.0371. John Connell, general manager of Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation, presented the budget and reported there were no changes since the prior presentation.
Connell explained that prior ED LIT funding the agency received had been used primarily as local matching funds to win federal discretionary grants for fleet electrification and infrastructure. He said the agency drew down roughly $24 million in federal funding in 2025, enabling purchase of 16 new 40‑foot battery electric buses and associated charging infrastructure. Connell said those buses provide substantially longer on‑route charge due to an extra battery pack and that the fleet is now approximately 42% hybrid or fully electric.
Council members asked about the sunsetting of ED LIT funding (Connell and council members referenced that the local commitment sunsets in either 2027 or 2028) and how that will affect future matching capacity and the new facility project; Connell said the local funds were also being programmed as local match for the transit facility and land acquisition and that staff are cautiously optimistic about federal formula funding continuing at steady levels after 2026.
There was no public comment on the transit budget. The ordinance passed on roll call 9–0.
