Title: CASE STUDY ON LOCAL FINANCING TECHNIQUES: BUFFALO, NEW YORK
Abstract: Buffalo, New York, in the two-county area of Erie and Nigara, is facing significant changes in its economy; major industries are phasing down or out. Since its metropolitan planning organization (MPO) has seven voting members, decision making can take a relatively long time. Downtown has a transit mall and a light-rail project that bisect the district and form a major focus for urban redevelopment. Transit is a major aspect of downtown development. When the Niagara Fontier Transportation Authority voted to advance the light-rail project and Niagara County voted not to advance it in 1976, their differences had to be reasolved because decisions of MPO, of which they are both members, must be unamimous. A transit financial study made to protect Niagara County's concerns and to reflect Erie County's fair share yielded a 5-year transit operating assistance plan. Its major issues were as follows: Shall transit be expanded? Should there be more service or the same service with lower fares or equal fares? If federal and state aid falters, what level of local government should be anticipated to support ransit? What funding source should be considered for that type of financial need? The New York State transportation law requires the state to provide operating assistance to the urban districts in an amount proportional to their service characteristics; counties in that service district are to provide matching amounts. When Erie County and Niagara County were offered three choices: more service, the same service, or reduced service with various fare optios, they accepted the provision that if additional aid did sometime come to the region, it would not be allocated to Niagara County. They accepted the equity issue--that revenues would be credited to the boarding passengers in each county for the particular mode operating in that county and that cost would be attributable to vehicle miles and service of that particular mode in that particular county. The priorities of residents of the two counties were fare increases, service cutbacks, and federal and state aid; local aid was not one of the options.
Publication Year: 1985
Publication Date: 1985-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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