The Tampa City Council met this week to discuss Mayor Jane Castor’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year.
One item discussed was the city's financial support for the Hillsborough Transit Authority, or HART.
Of particular interest was HART’s Route 1, which runs from the Marion Transit Center in downtown Tampa, north on Florida Avenue, then east on Fletcher Avenue, ending at the University Area Transit near USF.
The route connects to 70% of the HART network as well as the streetcar system, allowing people to get from the USF area to Ybor City.
The bus used to be free service for Tampa residents, but has since moved to requiring a service fee:
- One-way rides: $2
- Daily Fare Cap: $4
- Monthly Fare Cap: $65
ALSO READ: HART touts a successful year for its free Route 1 service
During Tuesday’s meeting, Dayna Lazarus, co-founder of the group Transit Now Tampa Bay, shared the story of a friend who says HART has gone from what was once a convenient, reliable option to one that desperately needs the city’s support.
“(My friend) relied on public transit and a bicycle for over 10 years to get to and from work, the grocery store, as well as any other places around the city (he) wanted to visit. The underfunded state of the public transit system frequently caused issues with (his) ability to reliably commute to work or run errands in a timely fashion,” Lazarus said.
The budget had included $1.3 million for Route 1, but Lazarus and Transit Now proposed increasing that to $1.5 million to maintain the frequency of operations, as well as marketing the route and other bus system improvements.
But Councilman Bill Carlson raised concerns that in doing so it could result in Tampa residents being taxed twice through both regional transit taxes and city funds.
“It's not sustainable…to tax people twice. HART already has a taxing authority, and has the ability to tax itself more. If that's not gonna work, then we need a whole new structure,” he said.
The Council will hold its final budget hearing September 22nd and formally vote on the proposal on October 15. But for now, members are largely in support of the increase, saying public transit is a necessary resource for residents.
“I believe that the future of everything else is making affordable and reliable transportation. It is critically important for the city of Tampa,” said Councilman Alan Clendenin..
Additional information from Florida Matters Live & Local and Helen “Han” Ly was used in this report.
