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Southeast Public Transit asks Yankton County for bigger local contribution as grants shrink
Summary
Southeast Public Transit operations director asked the county to increase support to $10,000 (from $2,500) due to about $105,000 in lost federal/state/local funds and rising vehicle replacement costs; director emphasized that 77,000 of the system's 100,000 annual rides serve Yankton County residents.
Laura Belinsky, operations director for Southeast Public Transit, told the commission that federal, state and local funding for transit has declined and that vehicle-replacement and maintenance costs have risen sharply — from roughly $87,000 in 2021 to an estimated $147,000 now, including maintenance and labor. She asked the county to increase its local contribution to $10,000 annually to preserve service levels for low-income residents who rely on transit for medical appointments and work.
Belinsky said about two-thirds of riders are low-income and that the system provided roughly 77,000 rides for Yankton County residents last year. Commissioners expressed support for the service but noted tight county finances and asked staff to consider the request in the broader revenue-constrained provisional budget.
"Public transit is not a luxury. It connects people to health care, jobs, education," Belinsky said, summarizing the social-role case for local investment. Commissioners said they would review the funding request when they have updated revenue numbers for the county.
