The Greater Peoria Mass Transit District is proposing to hike some fees for individuals and community groups. The aim is to generate $500,000 in new revenue:
That’s how much the Mass Transit service needs to cover growing annual costs, according to director Al Stanek. To that end, he says proposals include charging new fees for agencies like EP!C, Community Workshop and Training Center and Senior World to use the service. Stanek says he recognizes the proposal comes at a time when many groups are facing state funding cuts or back payments:
“All of us are backed against the wall, and we don’t want to be divided and conquered on this. I think we need to sit down, communicate agency to agency as to what somebody can live with.”
Officials with EP!C say they can’t afford any fee hikes. Stanek says proposed cash fares for CityLink riders would stay the same. But he says free transfers would be cut, while adding a three-dollar Day Pass for riders (which already launched earlier this month). The first public meeting to gather input on the proposals is August 19th at the Pekin Public Library.