From the First Selectman:
Yesterday, The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) informed the state’s transit operators that it was unlikely that there would be a fix to the Special Transportation Fund any time soon and that they should prepare for a 15% cut in state funding for July 1st and a 50% cut the following year.
It is also CTDOT’s intention to drastically reduce Shore Line East service by 80%, leaving just weekday service of 2 trains in the a.m. and 2 trains in the p.m.
We all understand the state is in the midst of a financial crisis but these cuts being implemented by CTDOT on our local transit services are crippling and tend to hurt those who need public transportation the most. Although the state subsidizes transit across the state using state taxpayer dollars, CTDOT will be directing nearly all transportation taxpayer dollars to the systems they own.
What does this mean? Bus companies overseen by transit districts in Middletown, Old Saybrook, New London, Bridgeport, Torrington, Norwalk, Willimantic, and Killingly are the only ones being cut. The private bus operators that contract with CTDOT under the CT Transit name are not being cut in FY19. In fact some new service is being added to CT Transit Hartford. The reason given for this is that CT Transit is conducting planning studies and it would be inappropriate to cut their services while those planning projects are ongoing.
It seems incredulous that the transit districts that collect municipal dues (like our very own 9 Town Transit) to subsidize bus services would be the first to be cut, when the cities of Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury and Meriden pay nothing for their bus services.
Also CT Transit operating costs are as much as twice the cost of the same bus service operated by the transit districts. Nevertheless, CTDOT is not asking CT Transit cities to contribute to maintaining their bus services.
The State’s motives for making these selective cuts is questionable. Is the goal to destroy the transit districts and the transit services they provide and provide funding for the transit services the State controls? If so, the battle is close to being over. 9 Town Transit and Shoreline East are critical modes of transportation for Old Saybrook. The State must look for a better funding model.
As for Shore Line East, it is well understood that commuter rail is very expensive to operate. However, it appears that CTDOT is making certain that it has the funding to operate its new New Haven – Hartford – Springfield commuter rail line, which is projected to require an even higher per rider subsidy than Shore Line East. Starving Shore Line East of funds needed to operate will free up operating money and equipment for the Hartford line. By the looks of it, CTDOT doesn’t seem interested in saving Shoreline East. After all the
investment that has been made along the shoreline, this is truly a shame.
If this issue resonates with you, please contact your legislators to demand that CTDOT use a fair methodology when making these decisions. I would submit that Transit Districts that help pay their own way should be a model, not the enemy.
Carl P. Fortuna, Jr., First Selectman, Town of Old Saybrook
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