Flagstaff Public Transit = Affordable Housing?

What does public transportation have to do with affordable housing?  A lot: If people can get to work, the grocery store, and essential services without owning a car, they save thousands of dollars each year that can go toward a down payment, mortgage costs or rent for a home.  Indeed, transportation costs and car loans are one of the itemized expenses in mortgage applications and there are special mortgage programs available for the purchase of homes with access to public transportation.

Flagstaff’s Mountain Line bus service exists because of a transportation tax that has been part of the sales tax since voter approval in the year 2000. That tax will expire in 2010 and the City of Flagstaff will be without bus service if the tax is not re-authorized. That is the essence of Proposition 401 on the City Election ballot that is about to arrive in your mail if you are a Flagstaff resident. Voting for Prop 401 will add no additional tax to what you are already paying.

In addition, there are four other propositions on the ballot related to Mountain Line:

•  Prop 402 would provide additional funding to purchase Hybrid Electric buses. There already are some in service in Flagstaff. One of my clients rode one recently and described it as “really cool” – and quiet.
• Prop 403 would provide funds to link routes between Downtown Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University and Woodlands Village.
• Prop 404 would extend service to new and currently underserved areas of Flagstaff.
• Prop 405 would allow funds for more frequent service on existing routes.

For details of all of these propositions, you can follow the links above, download a voter information phamplet or visit the City of Flagstaff’s voter information site on Mountain Line’s future. The City is holding six open houses to explain the voter propositions, beginning April 16.

In addition, this week The League of Women Voters of Greater Flagstaff and the American Association of University Women are sponsoring a Forum on the ballot propositions at the Federated Communiity Church, 400 W. Aspen, in downtown Flagstaff. The Forum will be Wednesday, April 2, 2008, 6-7 P.M., AAUW will provide refreshments. Speakers at the forum will be:  Jeff Meilbeck, General Manager of NAIPTA/Mountain Line and Rick Compau, City of Flagstaff Purchasing Director.