Federal grant will keep Yakima Transit moving

YAKIMA, Wash. -- The federal government has awarded Yakima nearly $2.2 million in transit money, meaning the city won't have to buy new buses or Dial-A-Ride vans for several years.

The news was announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which also awarded Recovery Act funds -- sometimes referred to as "stimulus money" to several other Washington cities.

Yakima Transit Manager Ken Mehin said Yakima's share of federal money was awarded by the Obama administration for the express purpose of replacing five buses and three Dial-A-Ride vans starting in October 2010.

He declined to predict the effect the award would have on Yakima Transit's annual operations budget, which currently totals $7.5 million. Last year the agency recorded roughly
1.5 million rides.

Sales tax revenues provide about 75 percent of Yakima Transit's budget, and tax collections are down due to the recession. Federal assistance makes up about 20 percent of the budget, with the balance of 5 percent coming from fare receipts.

Mayor Dave Edler praised city officials for their success in securing the transit money and other grants at the state and federal level.

"If we did not have these professionals chasing these dollars, we'd truly be in bad shape," he said.

He said he was glad the federal government is buying buses for Yakima, but noted that federal grant money does not automatically free up other city dollars that could be used to address crumbling roads.

Transit funds come with many strings attached and are not part of the city's regular general-fund budget, which is where road repairs usually come from, Edler noted.

"Public works -- streets -- that falls under the umbrella of general funds," he said. "Transit doesn't as much."

* Chris Bristol can be reached at 509-577-7748 or cbristol@yakimaherald.com.