The Palm Springs City Council voted 4 to 1 on Wednesday night to end the Palm Springs Buzz Shuttle service, according to KESQ.
The service, which the city kicked in 900,000 a year for, saw all council members except Christy Holstege vote to end the shuttle. The trolley, which was not without its flaws, was costing the city $4.50 per rider, according to the city. The vote to end the Buzz Shuttle comes just a few months after Palm Springs residents voted for a tax increase to save things like The Buzz.
“If we kick this can down the road, we’re gonna spend $670,000 then we’re gonna make the decision later because it’s not sustainable of doing it later. So, we’re basically throwing away $670,000 that I think we have a lot of other uses for,” Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon, who prefers to drive his own car around town looking for shoes, said during the meeting.
It’s a very different tune for the Mayor who seemed pretty excited to yuck it up with Suzanne Somers.
While Free shuttle services have been proven to be beneficial for communities, mayor Moon basically admitted in December the trolley had to go because it began under the previous mayor.
“We did not feel it was an appropriate use of Measure J funds,” Moon said. Essentially throwing the previous mayor under the (Buzz) bus, Moon added: “It was a Steve Pougnet thing.”
Note: Giving money to seedy developers was also a “Steve Pougnet thing,” but the council hasn’t decided to quit doing that.
At the same meeting Wednesday night, the city council decided to let voters in the city decide on short-term vacation rentals by putting it on the June ballot, notes the Desert Sun. Residents will not have the same say on the Buzz, which will run for the last time on June 30.
Palm Springs, like no place else.
