Transit Funding Advocacy: Protecting Public Transit in Pinellas County

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Every day, tens of thousands of Pinellas residents rely on Pinellas County transit to get to work, school, doctor’s appointments, and essential services. But public transit also benefits residents who never set foot on a bus.

Frequent, reliable transit:

✅ Relieves traffic congestion

✅ Reduces air and noise pollution;

✅ Powers our economy;

✅ Lowers road maintenance costs; and

✅ Reduces crashes and saves lives.

Public transit isn’t a handout—it’s a vital public service, just like roads, schools, and clean water. Ensuring adequate transit funding is essential for maintaining these services.

Local officials, including County Commissioner Chris Scherer, are advocating for significant cuts to transit funding for Pinellas County. If these changes are implemented, the community could experience increased traffic congestion, higher crash rates, greater dependency on cars, and a reduced ability for residents to rely on public transit to get to work.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), which plays a crucial role in Pinellas County transit, is primarily funded through local property taxes established by a 'millage rate.' This year, the PSTA Board has already voted to reduce that rate from 0.7342 to no more than 0.7300—the lowest level in over a decade. 

However, Commissioner Scherer and his allies are advocating for even deeper cuts, calling for a reduction to 0.7023. Such a decrease would cut PSTA’s budget by more than $3 million, impacting essential public transit routes that residents rely on every day.