Transit commission approves Bi-State's $203.1 million budget request, authorizes draft legislation

The Public Transit Commission voted to approve Bi‑State Development’s $203.1 million transit appropriation request and authorized Bi‑State to draft implementing legislation that the commission will transmit to the county council for final action.

Bi‑State officials presented a condensed transit budget booklet and walked commissioners through revenue and expense projections for fiscal 2027. The budget presentation listed total FY27 revenues of $351,537,833 and projected operating revenue of roughly $27.3 million; passenger revenue was shown at about $19.6 million for 2026 and a projected $23.2 million for 2027. Agency staff said higher passenger revenue in the projection reflects gains from a staffed-platform pilot (SPP) at select stations.

Why it matters: Commission approval is a recommendation that moves the requested appropriation to the county council and authorizes Bi‑State to prepare a resolution and draft legislation. Commissioners debated how the county should split sales‑tax proceeds between transportation and public works — a split that will affect funding available for service expansion, bus-stop amenities and sidewalk projects that make stops accessible.

The presentation explained cost drivers and risk mitigation. The budget showed operating expenses near $339 million, with wages and benefits comprising roughly 68 percent of operating costs. Bi‑State staff told commissioners that much of the presented deficit is driven by noncash items such as depreciation and that the agency expects to manage cash needs without requesting additional appropriation beyond the submitted amount.

On revenue and the staffed‑platform pilot, an agency official said the pilot’s staffing and gates produced unexpectedly higher fare revenue, suggesting there had been some unmeasured fare evasion. "There is some inherent fare evasion that was unaccounted for," the official said, describing the pilot as a factor in the revenue projection. Commissioners cautioned that an 18.4 percent year‑to‑year increase in passenger revenue (about $3.3 million) is aggressive and discussed contingency plans if revenue falls short, including delaying hires or adjusting position timing.

Commissioners also pressed staff on paratransit demand and first/last‑mile access. Staff and commissioners said many bus stops in parts of Saint Louis County lack sidewalks, which limits fixed‑route access and increases paratransit demand. An agency official suggested exploring a county capital sink fund (using Prop A or similar local revenue) to subsidize sidewalk improvements near stops so more residents can reach fixed‑route service.

On funding priorities, commissioners discussed recommending a 50/50 split of the 73‑cent sales‑tax allocation between transportation and public works so some Prop A funds remain available for expansion or amenity work; the commission asked staff to draft a letter to the county council explaining that recommendation.

The motion before the commission approved the appropriation request and authorized Bi‑State to prepare legislation. The commission took a roll‑call vote and the motion passed. The chair said the commission will revisit and vote on the recommended split between transportation and public works at a subsequent meeting.

What’s next: Bi‑State will prepare draft legislation and a resolution for the county council. The commission will consider and vote on its recommended split of local sales‑tax proceeds at a future meeting; final appropriation and any split will be decided by the county council.