What is the Escambia Board of County Commissioners’ long-term plan for financing Escambia County Area Transit?
The funding that was approved yesterday is a band-aid to get ECAT through one more year. The county is putting up $2.4 million, the City of Pensacola $300,000 and fares will probably be raised.
The County has a signed interlocal agreement (approved last year) with the City in which they agree to pass a gas tax to fund ECAT. Unless the county finds a dedicated funding source for ECAT, we will be discussing the closure of the transit system again next year.