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Bus Fares to Go Up;
County Revenues All Down
City bus fares will likely go up—perhaps
25 cents, to $1.50—but commissioners won't
decide until May 5 whether to also start
charging for transfers, or for fares for children
under five, who now ride free. Fares were last
raised in 2005—also by 25 cents—but longer
operating hours and higher costs mean that
bus service is taking an ever-larger bite from
the county's "general fund," Athens Transit
Director Butch McDuffie told commissioners
recently. Last year, fares covered only 28 per
cent of bus costs, and that figure should be
more like one third, McDuffie said. But bus rid-
ership "has continued to increase at a record
pace," he wrote in a background document
for commissioners—it's up by nearly one fifth
this year. "Requests for additional services are
received daily," he wrote. "Overflow buses are
routinely required on
some routes because of
overcrowding."
At least for next year,
McDuffie's proposed
fare hikes would bring
farebox revenue up to
37 percent of operating
costs, but at last week's agenda-setting meet
ing (where they discuss items they'll be voting
on next month), some commissioners had res
ervations about charging for transfers, or for
children to ride.
"Let's don't put that burden on poor folks,"
District 3 Commissioner George Maxwell
urged. "I see them every day: the homeless,
those that are struggling, trying to make
it." Charging for transfers wouldn't produce
a lot of revenue, compared to the 25-cent
general fare increase; neither would charging
for kids between two and five years old, as
McDuffie proposed. "Just leave it where it is,"
Commissioner Doug Lowry suggested.
But commissioners David Lynn and Kathy
Hoard argued for all the recommended fare
hikes; and it's bus riders who'd be hurt the
most if services were to be cut back, said
Lynn. "I've been a transit advocate for many,
many years," he added; but costs not paid
by riders are "just borne by other people."
Commissioner Alice Kinman didn't argue with
the need for a fare hike. "But I do think we
should be looking at our operating efficiency
as part of our pricing policy," she said, and
asked for more information.
The down economy means that expected
sales-tax revenues to the county are also
down; so are real estate taxes, interest rev
enue and municipal court fines, county man
agers say. Those revenues are down nearly
4 percent overall—a $2 million gap. For
several months, "We have been asking our
departments not to fill (job] vacancies," ACC
Manager Alan Reddish told commissioners
last week, "unless they were mission-critical."
Some 70 percent of budget costs are person
nel costs, Reddish said. Employees are now
being asked to pay a portion of their own
costs when they travel
on county business, he
added, and non-essential
county purchases are
being delayed. "But
most importantly, I
think, we've charged our
department directors to
be very aware of this, and to make it a part
of their daily management responsibilities,"
Reddish said.
And while commissioners stopped short of
suggesting a color scheme for a new Atlanta
Highway water tank—it won't be built for
probably three years—David Lynn knew what
he didn't want to see. "Can we have some con
sideration about what's written on that tank?
Can it just say 'Athens,' and not 'ACCUG?'"
Lynn asked county managers. (ACCUG is the
acronym used in county documents for the
"Athens-Clarke County Unified Government.")
District 6 Commissioner Ed Robinson even
suggested a design competition for the new
water tank, which amused some commission
ers. But there'll be no "ACCUG" water tank,
Reddish assured them; "what is intended to be
there is the ACC logo that says, 'Athens-Clarke
County.' That's all it says."
John Huis jphuie@athens.net
Last year, fares covered
only 28 percent of bos costs,
and that figure should be
more like one third.
Water Rates on the Rise;
Gray Water to Be Allowed
During last year's drought, citizens reduced
their water use much more than expected—
about four times as much as county manag
ers had estimated, ACC Deputy Manager Bob
Snipes told commissioners at their Apr. 23
agenda-setting meeting. That's one reason
that a water rate increase could be a little
higher than initially planned: less water sold
means less revenue to the county, whose costs
don't necessarily go down when people use
less water. Recent interest-rate changes—
plus last year's drought
restrictions—mean the
county must raise water
rates to meet bond
requirements already
committed to. The
proposed increase (to
be decided by commis
sioners May 5) would add perhaps $5 a month
for typical households who do some outdoor
watering.
Commissioners Kelly Girtz and Ed Robinson
suggested concentrating the rate increase
instead among the higher-priced tiers of the
county's new conservation-rate structure.
Since only about a fifth of water sold is
billed at the higher-priced tiers (intended to
discourage excessive water use), that would
mean a considerable jump in water prices for
households that do a lot of outdoor water
ing. But some of those large users don't
particularly care what water costs them, said
Girtz, and such a plan would mean "a more
modest increase" for other customers.
But citizens may be able to avoid some of
those water charges by using "gray water"—
a practice that been illegal in the past. By
June, changes in state and local law could
allow people to reuse water saved from certain
indoor uses for some outdoor uses.
"You can use the water in the bathtub
to water the flowers," Commissioner George
Maxwell summed it up.
(But not the vegetable
garden; that will still
require fresh water.)
Gray water saved from
from washing or bathing
(but not from wash
ing "diapers or other
soiled garments," or from kitchen sinks) could
be used for hand-watering outdoors from a
container.
"This will allow people to legally use the
water that many have been saving and using,"
said Commissioner Kathy Hoard, who chairs
the county's water-conservation committee.
Some people have been "quietly" using gray
water already to help conserve water during
the drought, she acknowledged—but "we're
not going to name names."
John Huie jphuie@athens net
The proposed increase would
add perhaps $5 a month for
typical households who do
some outdoor watering.
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APRIL 29,2009 • FLAGPOLE.COM 5