Commentary: Ohio s public transit systems need financial support, not cuts
Claudia Amrhein, Dawn Distler and Kirt Conrad
Special to the Canton Repository
Gov. Mike DeWine’s budget as introduced in early February would deal a devastating blow to public transportation in Ohio and the people it serves.
Funding for public transit in the proposed state budget was slashed by nearly 90% compared to funds appropriated by the General Assembly just two years ago – down from $70 million to $7.3 million. This cut was not because of budgetary issues or lack of need.
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Transit Needs Study, the state should allocate $200 million per year to public transportation. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently gave Ohio’s public transit infrastructure a “D” grade.