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Linn County preliminarily approves FY2027 LIFTS budget as ridership rises 17%
Summary
The board preliminarily approved LIFTS' FY2027 appropriations of about $2.32 million with revenues of roughly $1.44 million; LIFTS reported ridership of 48,815 (a 17% increase) and flagged rising vehicle-parts and utility costs.
The Linn County Board of Supervisors gave preliminary approval on Jan. 7 to the proposed FY2027 budget for LIFTS, the county's transit/paratransit service, after presentations from Dawn Shindrich, finance director, and Carter Baldwin, LIFTS director.
Baldwin said ridership rose to 48,815 in the past year, a 17% increase, and the service drove roughly 339,554 miles to provide about 158 daily rides Monday through Saturday. "We had a couple of really good highlights from the previous year... ridership was 48,815, which was a 17% increase," Baldwin said.
The proposed appropriations totaled about $2,324,836 with budgeted revenues around $1,442,220, putting the request slightly over general-fund guidelines by about $6,000, Shindrich said. Baldwin described revenue gains from formula funds routed through ECICOG for rural trips and noted the paratransit contract with the city of Cedar Rapids uses an annual adjustment that has typically been about 3%.
Board discussion focused on components driving increased costs — building and utility expenses, vehicle parts and hiring/retention pressures — and possible coordination with county purchasing and sheriff's mechanics to identify bulk-purchasing or other efficiencies. Baldwin also confirmed the motor-vehicle equipment line item of $45,500 is the local 20% match for an ECICOG bus replacement; federal funds support the remaining 80%.
The board moved and seconded a motion to preliminarily approve the LIFTS FY2027 budget; the motion passed by voice vote. The notation for the record specifies the approval is preliminary.
