Council OKs Hike in Funding for SCAT
- Share via
Ensuring continued bus service for seniors and ending a divisive squabble, the City Council has agreed with the mayor’s plan to give $2.1 million to South Coast Area Transit.
The amount, approved on a 5-0 vote Tuesday, is about $200,000 more than what the council agreed to at its May 2 meeting.
“I am happy how it has all turned out,” said Mayor Manuel Lopez, adding that he had increased the transit allocation after the council’s original vote based on additional information the agency provided.
“There is information . . . that we didn’t have when we originally voted on the SCAT budget,” said Councilman Tom Holden, who earlier criticized Lopez for changing his vote and thereby increasing the city’s budget. Once the entire council received the information, Holden joined a unanimous vote to support the higher allocation.
With its approval, the council said it wants SCAT to form a technical committee, with staff from Oxnard and Ventura, to monitor Laidlaw Transit, which has a contract with SCAT to transport seniors, disabled people and meals to senior citizens.
Council members have expressed concern about Laidlaw’s ride scheduling system and want to review its service for six months.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
