Supreme Court overturns $30 vehicle tabs

POMEROY–The Washington State Supreme Court overturned voter-approved Initiative 976 on October 15. The Garfield County Transportation Authority (GCTA) heard this announcement at the October 19 meeting.

Washington State voters elected to approve initiative I-976 in November, 2019, which would hold vehicle license tabs to $30. In protest, the GCTA joined in a lawsuit led by Seattle-area governments to overturn the initiative that would have cut an estimated $4.2 billion in revenue over the next six years. This initiative, if enacted, could have potential triggered funding cuts for public transportation, road improvement and maintenance projects. The Washington State Supreme Court overturned the initiative on October 15, 2020, stating that it was unconstitutional due to misleading language, and contained too many subjects.

Meanwhile, Rachel Anderson, GCTA Director, will ask for an expansion grant from the Department of Transportation (DOT) due to an increased demand by riders. Presently, each bus or van is limited to four riders per trip due to COVID-19 restrictions. And because of limited riders allowed per trip and the increased demand, GCTA has had to run two commuter runs in one day. This still doesn’t meet the needs of some riders requiring transportation to the valley for medical or shopping trips. The Board approved adding extra trips if needed, because while waiting for additional grant money, current funding allows the increase. In addition, the extra trips may qualify for funding through the CARES Act, which must be requested by the end of October, 2020.

A preliminary budget for 2021 presented by Anderson to the board requested a three percent increase in wages, included in the budget, for the eight part-time employees. Because they would not qualify for the proposed increases in benefits for full-time County employees, she considers the increase reasonable.

Wynne McCabe stated he had wanted to raise their hourly wages to $15 last year, and still considers it appropriate. A three percent increase added to the current $14.62 per hour would raise wages to $15.05. In addition, to reward longevity, incentivize drivers and encourage applicants when vacancies occur, some type of “step program is being considered. A final decision has not been made.

Due to a recent financial audit, the GCTA has been notified that they are required to adopt a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Policy, which states that they will use a DBE list of contractors for all procurement processes related to DOT-assisted projects. The board approved the adoption.

The next meeting of the GCTA will be November 16, 2020, at 11 a.m. The public is invited to join the meeting by teleconference.