Mayor Ken Miyagishima announced today, July 30, 2019, he has authorized placing on the agenda for the August 5 Las Cruces City Council meeting the following resolution:
A resolution to authorize a budget transfer of $100,000 to the Transit Fund, reducing the Dial-A-Ride service senior fee to $1 and ADA riders to $1 for the City’s 2020 fiscal year.
Here is statement from the city of Las Cruces:
“Transportation is important for our seniors, many of them are on fixed incomes, the last thing this City Council wants is for them to have to choose between important necessities or Dial-a-Ride,” Miyagishima said. “Our residents with disabilities, obviously among our most needy and vulnerable citizens, are worthy of our consideration and financial assistance.”
Based on City staff reports to Miyagishima, the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) had provided approximately $72,000 per year through Senior Programs to help offset the costs for providing additional senior transportation services within the City. This is about 9 percent of the cost of providing senior transportation. The AAAs have not provided funding for transportation to the City since about 2010. The cost of each Dial-A-Ride trip has been steady over the last several years, ranging from $18 to $21 per trip.
“The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Older Americans Act (OAA) are critical federal programs designed to protect rights and opportunities for persons living with disabilities and our aging populations. We owe it to them to consider their needs as a priority,” Miyagishima said. “Unfortunately, funding levels have not kept up with the needs of a growing population of older Americans with rising costs.”
Placing the resolution on the August 5 agenda will enable City Council to discuss and consider adoption.