HARTline Group Says Use Tax To Improve System

By MARK HOLAN mholan@tampatrib.com

Published: Feb 21, 2006

 TAMPA - A panel is recommending that tax revenue generated by increased property values in unincorporated Hillsborough County be earmarked for improvements to bus service in those areas.

The recommendation is one of more than a dozen made by the HARTline Study Group, a panel of seven county residents that has put the bus system under a microscope since November.

"We are looking for ways to expand the service where it is needed without hurting the incorporated areas," said Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair, the group's chairman.

Among the other recommendations:

Have the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority seek bids from private companies to provide connecting feeder service from suburban communities to existing bus routes inside Tampa.

Offer no-fare days to attract new riders.

Streamline services for seniors and the disabled.

Take a closer look at agency grants and finances.

The panel was proposed in August as a compromise to Commissioner Ronda Storms' suggestion of giving suburban voters a chance to repeal the 1980 referendum providing a half-mill property tax for transit.

HARTline receives nearly 62 percent of its property tax revenue from outside Tampa and Temple Terrace, and unincorporated residents get slightly less than 38 percent of agency service.

Tampa contributes 36.12 percent of tax revenue and gets 60.60 percent of the bus service. Temple Terrace residents add 2.19 percent of revenue and receive 1.61 percent of service.

"They've all agreed the service isn't in balance and fails to meet the promises made in the referendum," said study group consultant John Dausman, a former HARTline planner.

"They may disagree on what the balance is," Dausman said. "They don't believe it should be dollar-for-dollar, but it's too far out of balance."

The recommendation to earmark increased property tax revenue would stay in place for five to 10 years, or until HARTline proves to county commissioners that the agency is "satisfying the promises made to unincorporated residents" in the 1980 referendum, a draft report states. Dausman said he has not calculated how much extra revenue might be generated by that recommendation.

On Friday, the group will decide on its final recommendations, which will be presented to commissioners in late March or early April. Commissioners will decide which proposals to urge the HARTline board to adopt.