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Request by RVTD stuns Ashland By DANI DODGE ASHLAND -- In response to a surprise letter from the Rogue Valley Transit District requesting the city pony up an extra $92,492 to keep its reduced-fare program rolling, the council slammed on the brakes. "It's outrageous," said Councilman David Fine. "We've been feeding a homeless, unloved dog and it turned around to bite us." Mayor Cathy Shaw suggested it might be time to begin the city's own transportation taxing district -- separate from the regional RVTD bus system. "We need to look at a long-term solution," she said. "We need bus service in Ashland. It needs to be frequent and it needs to be free." Since 1992, the city of Ashland has been paying RVTD to provide a reduced fare of 25 cents in Ashland as well as 15-minute service in downtown. The normal fare is $1. The city is paying RVTD $100,000 a year to provide the additional service. On Monday, City Administrator Mike Freeman received a letter from RVTD general manager Sherrin Coleman saying in light of a failed levy in May, the $100,000 isn't going to cut it anymore. "RVTD can no longer subsidize the reduced fare program and the current level of service for the city of Ashland," Coleman wrote. "We will be happy to renew the program when it expires on June 30, 1999, if Ashland is willing to bear the cost of the service." But Councilman Steve Hauck -- who served on the RVTD board until a year and a half ago -- said he doesn't remember any talk of RVTD subsidizing Ashland's service. "That's what the $100,000 paid for," he said. Hauck said even if RVTD costs are more than he was ever told, he couldn't understand why RVTD gave the council only two weeks to come up with nearly double the cost. "This is the down side of being part of a regional system," he said. "The other parts of the district haven't supported the district." Shaw noted that every district in Ashland supported RVTD's May levy by more than 2-1. But in rural areas it went down. In White City it was voted down by a 3-to-1 margin. Shaw said a new bus district may be the answer. She said that Ashland's bus system could connect with RVTD, and possibly even contract with RVTD. "It's a real viable option," she said."Public buses are an important part of the transportation system." And, Freeman said, the budget is already done and voted on: "We do not have $100,000 just sitting around." The council agreed to convene a subcommittee of council members today to draft a response to RVTD's letter. They will also come up with possible ways to continue reduced-fare service in Ashland for those who need it. "How many tokens can we buy for $100,000?" Shaw asked. In other action, the council: Nominated the Ashland downtown historic district to the National Register of Historic Places. Gave the city management a 2.4 percent increase in pay scale and confidential employees, such as the legal assistant, personnel assistant, executive secretary and administrative secretary, a 3.5 percent increase. Approved cable rates that begin at $6.90 for Ashland Fiber Network subscribers. Authorized a parking agreement with the Elks for 24 new spaces downtown in exchange for landscaping. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA