Aging Partners seeks $44,000 county supplement after federal cuts to rural transit

Randy Jones, director of Aging Partners, told Lancaster County commissioners on May 14 that steep federal funding reductions are threatening the agency’s rural transit service and that Aging Partners will ask the county for a supplemental $44,000 for fiscal year 2027 to preserve current operations.

Jones said the program expects about 1,611 boardings by year‑end, which he estimated corresponds to roughly 825 individual trips because many riders take multiple trips. He told the board the program renewed a Department of Transportation contract and has managed to absorb a recent 30% federal funding cut for FY2026 through budgeting measures but now faces an additional announced cut of about 20% for the coming year. Absorbing the first reduction still left the program about $5,000 short this year, Jones said.

Jones explained the funding formula is complex and driven by federal, state and county match rules and confirmed that DOT permits supplemental local funding. He said Aging Partners plans to formally request a $44,000 county supplement for FY2027 to maintain existing service levels.

Board members asked follow‑up questions about daily ridership and the challenge of balancing requests against state property‑tax limits and competing departmental needs. Jones also reported program successes: Victory Park’s digital literacy classes trained roughly 300 people over six months, and the agency may absorb some Medicaid waiver work reassigned from the League of Human Dignity but said those services are state‑reimbursed.

The request will be considered as part of the county’s overall budget deliberations.