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New Sunset Empire Transit director David Carr introduces himself to county board, stresses rural transit funding needs
Summary
David Carr, newly appointed executive director of Sunset Empire Transit District, introduced himself to the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners and described the agency's role in providing roughly 100,000 rides per year across a 40,000‑person county; he urged support for proposed payroll‑tax funding to stabilize services.
David Carr, the new executive director of the Sunset Empire Transit District, introduced himself to the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners and described the challenges facing rural transit.
Carr said he returned to the north coast after a career elsewhere and called transit an essential service that connects residents to dialysis, medical appointments, groceries and other needs. “We transport 100,000 rides a year,” he told the board, and he described the district’s operations as a vital service for people who do not or should not drive.
Carr described a pending state payroll‑tax proposal that would allocate 0.1% (and potentially 0.2% in future proposals) of payroll tax revenue to public transportation and said for small rural agencies the additional revenue can be a lifeline. He also explained the district’s cash‑flow constraints and the delayed reimbursements the agency faces from federal programs.
Commissioners welcomed Carr and thanked him for stepping into the role. Carr asked the board to stay engaged as the legislature and the community consider transit funding and noted the district is exploring innovations such as micro‑transit to fill mid‑day service gaps.
The introduction was part of the board’s business‑from‑the‑public period; no action was required.
