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Advisory committee signals support to keep STIF funds on Saturday service and Loop
Summary
Committee discussed the upcoming STIF (payroll‑tax) funding cycle and expressed support for continuing to use STIF funds to cover Saturday service and the Canby Loop rather than divert payroll‑tax dollars to new projects pending final STIF allocations.
Committee members began the STIF funding conversation for the next biennium and generally favored keeping payroll‑tax STIF dollars directed to operations: Saturday service and the Canby Loop.
"So the question will be, do we wanna continue to fund those 2 services with the, STIF money?" a committee member asked during the funding discussion. Staff said they do not yet know final STIF allocations and will present numbers at the next meeting when TriMet and state allocations are available, but recommended continuing to use STIF funds to support existing services rather than redirect payroll‑tax funds to a new project at this time.
Members noted that the Loop and Saturday free service have been popular and that retaining operational funding preserves ridership gains. One member said the Saturday program’s free structure encourages riders who otherwise delay weekday trips to ride on Saturdays and that continuing funding keeps that benefit.
Why it matters: STIF payroll‑tax funds are one of the primary local funding sources for service operations; the committee’s preliminary direction to prioritize ongoing weekend and Loop service will inform staff’s grant‑planning and the numbers they present when STIF allocations are released.
