Transit finance study sets $21 million annual target and favors utility fee or county property tax

Marshall Distel introduced a Transit Finance Study to the Chittenden County Transportation Advisory Committee on Feb. 1, 2022. Consultant Stephen Falbel of Steadman Hill presented the study’s scope, alternatives evaluation and recommendations, saying the goal is to find a sustainable revenue source to maintain current transit service levels and to leverage federal funds to expand access across Vermont.

The study estimates a $21 million annual transit funding target to sustain and expand service. Falbel told the TAC that currently only about one-third of Vermont towns are served by a fixed-route bus and that all towns have access to demand-response service subject to eligibility rules. The alternatives the study evaluated include a sales tax, payroll tax, business revenue charge, county property tax, income tax, utility fee, property transfer tax and mortgage-recording tax; the study’s scoring matrix…