The Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority is seeking a $908,556 budget for fiscal year 2015 from the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation.<\/p>\n
COTA administrator Thomas Camacho said the funding will be used to operate the first-ever public transportation system on the islands.<\/p>\n
Camacho said the request was based on COTA\u2019s actual budget analysis.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, COTA\u2019s 2015 local budget submission to the Office of Management and Budget was not included in the governor\u2019s submission, so Gov. Eloy S. Inos recommended we write a letter to the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation for financial assistance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Camacho said the financial support will help recruit 21 transit operators and cover other operating costs such as fuel, repairs, and maintenance, which are essential to \u201csmoothly implement Saipan\u2019s public transit system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Camacho\u2019s letter to delegation chair Rep. Ray Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan) also gave lawmakers an overview of the Saipan Fixed-Flex Route and Paratransit Feasibility Study Report.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe report provided a five-year operating budget with the first year initial budget of $937,655 and capital budget for the first year of $2.9 million. While COTA is applying for federal grant to fund the $2.9 million capital equipment and infrastructure for the initial implementation of the fixed-flex route and paratransit systems, COTA needs the support and assistance locally thus is the purpose of the letter,\u201d Camacho said.<\/p>\n
According to him, the $900,000 is the \u201cinitial or seed money\u201d request that will eventually be lower per year since COTA will be generating revenue from its farebox collections, advertisements in bus stop shelters and benches, and concessions fees. Also included in future revenues are from parking meter fares.<\/p>\n
\u201cEventually dedicated local funding from vehicle driver\u2019s license and registration fees and fuel tax. These dedicated local funding source will provide the CNMI a sustainable public transportation system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Camacho noted that the local funding support for the initial operation \u201cis a good investment and is a welcome partnership and commitment by our federal grantor and grant reviewers.\u201d<\/p>\n
COTA recently submitted a Capital and Planning Grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for a TIGER grant worth $4.7 million.<\/p>\n
That grant application and the $908,556 that COTA is asking from the local delegation \u201ccomplements each other. Both projects will be funded from federal and local funding resource critical in starting and sustaining the CNMI\u2019s first-ever and properly planned public transit system,\u201d Camacho said.<\/p>\n
He said that no federal grant alone could support the capital and operating costs of an agency such as COTA. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat is why it is essential that our leaders support this new public service beneficial to our residents, especially those who do not have access to a private vehicle of their own and those who can\u2019t afford buying their own car to get around the island,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
As mandated under Public Law 17-43, COTA is the agency charged with the authority to develop, establish, and oversee a transportation system for the CNMI. COTA is also mandated, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Public Transportation Advisory Board, to assess the CNMI\u2019s transportation needs and develop a viable public transportation system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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