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Protests spare bus shuttle in Treasure Island for now
By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
© St. Petersburg Times, TREASURE ISLAND -- Residents' vigorous protests have saved the neighborhood bus shuttle, at least for the moment. The bus service is scheduled to stop this fall because of low ridership and the need to save money at a time when city property taxes are expected to increase. "Certainly we don't want to take something away that Treasure Island wants to keep," said Mayor Leon Atkinson, who on Tuesday directed City Manager Chuck Coward to leave the shuttle in the proposed budget temporarily. "I'm hearing that the people want to keep it no matter what the cost is. It's your taxes." Coward recommended eliminating the bus service as part of a proposed $14.4-million 2001-2002 city budget. Even with this subtraction, increased spending for staffer pensions and salaries is expected to increase property taxes from 2.2272 to 2.5272 mills. Owners of properties assessed at $300,000, minus the homestead exemption, would pay about $707 in taxes. The city's shuttle picks up and delivers residents virtually at their doorstep, helping them connect with the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority's beach trolley and visit city stores, offices and recreation facilities. A city survey shows that about 15 people use the shuttle each day, compared to more than 500 trolley users. "I want to hear from the public if they are willing to have a tax increase to pay for the shuttle," Atkinson said. "I feel like that is a threat," said Commissioner Stephanie Lavino, who voiced the strongest protest against canceling the shuttle. "I don't mean to intimidate people, but it's a fact," Atkinson responded. The PSTA operates a door-to-door service for handicapped residents. Residents must apply and qualify, said Roger Sweeney, PSTA executive director, who outlined the county program at Tuesday's meeting. "Quite honestly, not everyone (who uses the shuttle) is handicapped," Lavino said. "I am also absolutely disturbed that residents would have to list their medications and disabilities" to qualify for the PSTA program. In a letter Lavino read aloud, one resident challenged the commission and city manager to give up driving for a week and use the shuttle instead: "I guarantee that at the end of the week you will not vote to discontinue the Treasure Island bus." Another resident said to a burst of applause: "Don't take the right away of our residents going to the store or post office. Don't take away the right to be a young senior citizen." "It boils down to questions we still don't have the answers to," said Commissioner Mary Maloof. "Are people riding it because they can't afford to take a taxi, or are they people who could afford some other type of transportation?" The final budget will be approved in September. In the meantime, Atkinson asked residents to contact commissioners or city hall to make their views known.
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