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Voters cool to bus request; defeat would be seventh By JIM DAVIS A Rogue Valley Transit District levy appeared headed for defeat at the polls Tuesday night, the seventh straight failed request for the district. RVTD General Manager Sherrin Coleman said she was hoping for more support for the five-year levy, which was to bring in about $6 million dollars. "I really don't know what to say," Coleman said. "I guess I'm going to wait until the votes are all counted." With more than 11,000 ballots counted late Tuesday, the levy was failing 38 percent to 62 percent, or 5,685 votes to 9,117. RVTD Board Chairman Ed Chapman was waiting to see the final results. "I'm hopeful," Chapman said. "We've earned it, but we don't make the decision. It's (the voters') money and they will decide how to spend it." The five-year levy would pay for five busy routes in Medford, help replace an aging fleet and improve bus service, possibly by extending bus hours past 7 p.m. The tax would cost property owners 17 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation -- $17 a year on a $100,000 home. The district decided to ask voters for the levy because a $1.5 million federal grant will expire next summer. That grant represents about 35 percent of RVTD's operating budget and paid for the five routes in Medford. About 120,000 riders have used those routes in their first year. If the levy fails, RVTD would have to make cuts in routes, but Coleman didn't know where the cuts would take place. If it passes, RVTD would be able to keep all its routes and expand. Coleman also said 11 of RVTD's 30 vehicles need to be replaced -- the older buses have more than 1 million miles each. But voters haven't supported RVTD levy requests. Most recently, voters rejected a $3.5 million-per-year serial levy in 1996. At its low point two years ago, RVTD had nine drivers and seven managers and the board fired its general manager. Under Coleman, RVTD has cut back to three managers and now has 45 drivers. Just last week, RVTD and Coleman were honored as the best transit system and best manager in Oregon -- out of more than 200 transit systems. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA