San Antonio – Over six months after the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) found $240 million of ten year cost savings to VIA Metropolitan Transit, the agency has called a special board meeting for Tuesday, June 2, 1998 at 5:00 p.m. at 800 W. Myrtle to discuss the TPPF findings. The agenda states that an ad hoc work group of the VIA Board of Trustees will discuss its fare analysis, cash reserves and administrative costs.
“We are excited that the Board will finally respond to these suggestions for savings – especially for the poor,” said TPPF President Jeff Judson. The poor in San Antonio are the most transit dependent in the country. VIA experienced a 23% loss in ridership due to a fare increase from 40 cents to 75 cents in 1995. TPPF recommended a reduction in fares to attempt to gain back nearly 35,000 riders lost daily since the 1995 increase. In addition, the study recommended a tax reduction (from ½ cent to ¼ cent) for years 1999, 2003 and 2007.
The $240 million in cost savings would require no need for additional revenues to be raised through fares or new taxes.
TPPF is a statewide nonprofit research institute based in San Antonio. It is guided by the core principles of limited government, free enterprise and individual responsibility. TPPF conducts independent analyses of agencies at the state and local levels in order to find ways to improve efficiency.