Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/108313
THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE The bus rapid transit system in Portland, OR, is one of the premier systems in the United States, according to Sarasota County staff. Image courtesy Sarasota County THE COUNTY COMMISSION GIVES THE CITY COMMISSION A MID-APRIL DEADLINE TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUPPORT EXISTS FOR A BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor Facing a federal deadline and the risk of jeop- characterized the creation of new land-use ardizing federal funding for its existing bus plans to make a BRT viable — along with the system, the Sarasota County Commission vot- transportation system itself — as means to ed unanimously on Tuesday, Feb. 5, to give the generate the necessary revenue to save the Sarasota City Commission until April 15 to de- city from fiscal collapse. termine whether it has sufficient constituent "This all comes down interest to support the to [the fact that] vipursuit of a bus rapid brant, successful, detransit (BRT) system Do I think the city is emotionally sirable cities make for the community. ready to do this? The answer's, 'No.' great counties, and County Commissionwe want a great city Shannon Snyder Commissioner er Joe Barbetta, who of Sarasota," Barbetta City of Sarasota made the motion, said. "That's why we