Palm Springs, a city that has no problem doling out cash to shady developments and closed-down restaurants, is considering numerous options to help pay for the Buzz shuttle (which is great! – except for when people are singing to it) including charging people to ride, reports The Desert Sun.
Currently, the service costs the city about 1.1 million dollars – with a million of that coming from Measure J funds raised from a sales tax and $100,000 coming from PS Resorts.
Officials have not said why there is suddenly a concern over financing for the shuttle or what they would prefer to use the dollars currently going to the Buzz, though one might assume inflated salaries and more handouts to developers.
One thing is clear from the newspaper’s reporting, Councilwoman Ginny Foat believes managing a pay-to-ride system is so much simpler than the experts who actually know how complicated it would be:
One money-making idea being floated is to simply charge riders a fare. However, this comes with its own related costs, say officials. For example, charging $1 fare would only net about $50,000, once money management and other costs are factored in, said Moon, citing previous discussions with consultants. The idea that it would cost nearly $150,000 to count and manage $1 bills seemed overblown, said Councilwoman Ginny Foat.
“I think you need to go back to those consultants,” she remarked.
Another option being considered is raising revenue from the shuttle through advertising, which seems to make sense since you can’t escape advertising anywhere anymore (including on this very article you are reading).
“So we really, really need to find a way to offset some of that cost,” Moon said. “Because right now the taxpayers are paying for that.”
Yes, Mr. Mayor. They know this. And they seem to be way more okay with it than giving those taxpayer dollars to public transportation instead of something like, oh I don’t know, rich, shady developers.
