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Brookline Council on Aging warns of transportation 'cliff' as ARPA and TNC funding wind down
Summary
Council on Aging Director Ruth Ann Dobek told the Select Board that the department relies heavily on outside funding (about $690,000 in non-municipal funds plus ARPA allocations) for transportation, digital programs, and food-insecurity work and warned those one-time sources and TNC revenues may expire in 2026, creating a funding cliff for senior transportation.
Ruth Ann Dobek, director of the Brookline Council on Aging and Senior Center, presented the department’s FY25 budget and outlined accomplishments and funding sources. She said the department’s municipal budget is approximately $1.2 million and that outside funding—grants, earmarks, foundation gifts, and ARPA—adds roughly $690,000 in support of services such as transportation, employment programs, and creative arts.
Dobek highlighted ARPA funding of approximately $572,000 allocated to Council on Aging projects (with more than $300,000 of that directed to transportation). She warned that ARPA is time-limited and that TNC (tax on ride-hailing that returns revenues to municipalities) revenue —approximately $100,000 this year—also may expire, creating a funding cliff when multiple one-time sources end in 2026.
Select Board members probed the size of the ‘cliff,’ asking for total program costs and the shortfall the department would face once one-time funding ends. Dobek and staff said the transportation program is currently covered by ARPA, TNC, and CDBG/MassDOT grants and estimated that the combination of sources approximates current needs through 12/31/2026; beyond that the town will need a plan. Members emphasized exploring regional partnerships and other revenue sources to sustain critical senior transportation services.
