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Duluth Transit Authority says reduced state subsidy forces large levy request; warming-center shuttle and neighborhood routes at risk if levy is cut
Summary
At a Duluth City Council meeting, Duluth Transit Authority General Manager Chris Belden described why a planned 42.9% local levy request follows the end of a temporary Minnesota Department of Transportation subsidy and outlined service reductions the agency would consider if the increase were limited to about 21–25%.
General Manager Chris Belden of the Duluth Transit Authority told the Duluth City Council that a temporary Minnesota Department of Transportation subsidy that reduced the agency—s local match to 5% has ended, prompting a proposed 42.9% levy increase for 2026 and possible service reductions if the council limits the increase.
Belden said the DOT subsidy had kept local levy requests lower in recent years. "The last 2 years, Minnesota Department of Transportation had an additional subsidy where our local match percentage went from a typical 20% all the way down to 5%," he said. "Now that subsidy is gone, so we're back again." He added that if the council approved a smaller increase—about 21.5% to 22%—the authority would need to identify cuts to close the gap.
The authority identified specific options to reduce costs. Belden said the warming-center program involves two pieces: free evening rides to warming centers and a dedicated morning shuttle to return riders to service providers. The…
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