St. Petersburg Times: Ridership shows need for public transit

The announcement from the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority was all but swallowed up amid the Halloween hullabaloo. For the second year in a row, the transportation agency posted record ridership: 13.1 million trips. Clearly there is a growing demand for low-cost public transportation on both sides of Tampa Bay. The challenge is to figure out how to smartly expand service.

Most striking about PSTA ridership gains in 2009-10 and 2010-11 is that growth came even after declining property tax revenues led to cuts in service and higher fares. In recent years, the agency's board spent reserves to soften cuts, but it said it had no option but to raise its property tax rate in 2011-12 or risk cutting more routes.

Now the question is: Where does the agency goes next? There is talk of swapping the agency's property tax authority for a countywide optional sales tax, which would provide more resources in the long term to help pay for light rail or other transit options. And there is interest in discussing a merger between PSTA and HART, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, in hopes of providing better regional service. All these deserve consideration. And for those who contend Floridians' love affair with their cars precludes a viable public transit option, the numbers tell a different story.

For the full editorial, visit the St. Petersburg Times.