RTC OKs $437 million plan

Dan Kulin

Friday, May 21, 2004 | 9:48 a.m.

The Regional Transportation Commission's $437 million spending plan for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, which includes money for large construction projects and adds five employees to the RTC staff, was approved by a 5-0 vote Thursday.

The budget, which takes effect July 1, includes about $126 million more in spending than this year's $311 million. The difference is due in part to large payments coming due for large construction projects, including $43 million to extend the monorail to downtown Las Vegas, as well as $12 million in additional money for the Citizens Area Transit public bus operations.

The CAT system is expected to put buses on the streets for an additional 100,000 hours during the coming fiscal year, which should reduce waits at some bus stops, RTC Chief Financial Officer Terry Cordell said.

Overall, spending on construction projects is increasing by $72 million in the coming year.

The approved budget also projects $425 million in revenue, which is up $111 million from the $314 million coming in this year.

Cordell said the RTC is expecting an additional $65 million in federal grants, $20 million in sales tax revenue, plus other new money coming thanks to the $2.7 billion transportation tax package supported by Question 10 in 2002 and by state lawmakers in 2003.

The difference between revenues and expenses will be made up with money saved from precious years earmarked for construction projects.

The five new staff positions, which will increase the number of RTC employees to 211, include an electronics technician; grants administrator, Web master (that work is not contracted out), transit planner, and a transit mobility specialist who will work with the disabled.

Three RTC board members -- Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Shari Buck and Mesquite Mayor Bill Nicholes -- were absent and so they did not vote on the budget.