The Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) is asking Aquinnah, as well as other member towns, to increase this year’s assessment to cover a deficit created by a collective bargaining agreement that raised wages for drivers.
Aquinnah selectmen reviewed a letter from VTA administrator Angela Grant requesting that the town increase its assessment by $28,650 to continue year-round service. The town currently pays $39,247.
Because of a $1 million budget deficit, and a decline in ridership over the past few months, the VTA was forced to cut winter routes significantly (in particular, up-Island routes).
Now the sole Island public transit company is asking member towns for an additional $668,000 in assessed funds to restore those routes that were lost in the wake of the budget shortfall, with Aquinnah’s share being 4.3 percent of the overall Island request.
According to the Dec. 17 letter, the VTA advisory board voted to request additional funds from towns after “discussions between board members and community leaders.”
The letter describes a “tumultuous” year for the VTA, and cites “unprecedented” increases in insurance premiums and a drastic decrease in ridership as major contributing factors.
Juli Vanderhoop, chair of the board of selectmen, said she wants to meet with someone from the VTA and someone from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) about a transportation grant the tribe received.
“I understand they [the tribe] recently got a transportation grant. It’s for the Island community, but it is coming directly through the tribe. Maybe [the VTA] would lessen our percentage because of the grant,” Vanderhoop said.
Town administrator Jeff Madison said he isn’t sure if the town can accommodate an increase in their assessment with an already tight budget.
“That number is pretty steep,” selectman Gary Haley said.
The letter points out that the last time the VTA asked towns for financial increases above the statutory cap of 2.5 percent was in 2005. “The result was immeasurable, and the VTA became an integral part of the Island community, offering reliable year-round, Island-wide, public transportation,” the letter reads.
A roughly 73% increase for a town that is already experiencing significant fiscal issues? Back to back big property tax increases the past couple of years. Tiny town that expects bigger town services. Costs need to be cut to stop the milking of second homeowners and tourists. Enough.
To many of those second home owners and/or tourists (“seasonals”), that $28K would be pocket change. This island spends a large amount of its time and resources trying to maintain itself as the idyllic island those seasonals know and love. EG: Fire and police, low income housing, food bank, free lobster dinners, winter church homeless shelters, island housing shuffle for year rounders that teach, build, landscape, drive, protect and serve, cook, wait tables or mind stores, etc, etc. Duke’s county has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the state (does NOT include the seasonals), and the cost of island living is 60% higher than the state average. The seasonals need to support the island, or it will go away!
The seasonals already support the island big time and get precious little in return since they are gone most of the time and have no kids in school. The island doesnt know how to manage itself. Imagine having five different town for a population of 17000 people.
I completely agree with Andrew. I am not saying “seasonals” shouldn’t help out. What I am saying is we have gouged them and the tourists enough. Where does it end? Aquinnah property taxes are absurd as it is. They need to cut costs not go to milk cow again and again.
If we continue to gouge, we will assure the island is a playground for the rich as the middle class tourists and “seasonals” will be forced to go elsewhere. Is that what we want?
If there is a drastic decrease in ridership why do we need to restore routes? Why can’t the route 5 run to Aquinnah every other hour in the summer instead of every hour? Why are we keeping routes running if no one is riding them?