Greenlight Pinellas, an initiative that has left the Burg polarized, will be voted on this November. We at I Love the Burg are neither here to sermonize nor ground ourselves in a position. As reporters and curious residents of St. Pete, we try to understand the vital issues we are voting on from every angle. Earlier in the month, we had a conversation with Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) External Affairs officer, Bob Lasher, who outlined the goals of Greenlight Pinellas.

*Video by Ride PSTA

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What is the purpose behind Greenlight Pinellas?

"For a population of 921,000, PSTA is a very undersized transit agency. We're hoping to expand our transit system by changing our funding. Right now we rely on property taxes to help fund the transit system. If Greenlight Pinellas passes, we would eliminate that current PSTA property tax and switch to a 1% sales tax. That additional 1% tax, however, is not levied on groceries, medical items, such as Band-Aids and aspirin, and is capped at $50/purchase. So for large purchases (in excess of $5,000), the most it would cost would be an additional $50. It would also expand the tax base to include the county’s annual 5.8 million visitors and tourists who would pay nearly a third of the overall revenue. That would then allow PSTA to significantly increase the bus system and offer Pinellas County residents viable, attractive and convenient transportation options to driving a car."

What improvements to service would be generated from the change in funding?

"With the increased funding we would be able to implement a 65% increase in overall bus service. That would include greatly enhanced weekend and evening service – including to and from Tampa and the airport. One of the most significant improvements will be buses running every 15-30 minutes instead of once every hour. That will significantly shorten travel times and waits between buses. There will also be limited stop ‘Express Routes’ with Park ‘n’ Rides connecting to Hillsborough and Pasco Counties” With both AAA and Consumer Reports showing that the average cost of car ownership is now more than $9,000/year, having transit options such as these could be a real money saver for our community."

Now on top of the bus transport initiatives are there still plans to introduce a light rail?

"Yes, a future light rail line is also part of the Greenlight Plan. However, we’ve learned from systems across the country that the light rail will only be as successful as the supporting bus network, which is why the heart of the Greenlight Pinellas Plan is to expand and improve the bus system."

Can you elaborate on the light rail?

"It will be 24 miles long, and take approximately 57 minutes to go from end to end. It will run from the medical centers in downtown St. Petersburg to the Gateway/Carillon area, which is the employment center of the county, and then by the airport and continuing to downtown Clearwater. When completed, it will feature 16 stations along a traffic free corridor that will quickly and easily link jobs, communities, entertainment venues and many PSTA bus lines. The strength of the light rail won’t be so much about getting a rider from one end to the other, but to meet the demand we see, today, for transportation to and from the county’s employment center as well as the various station areas along the line"

What would become of PSTA and the supporting bus system if Greenlight did not go through?

"That's something, as a commuter and rider, that really worries me. If it doesn't pass, PSTA is going to be forced to cut a significant amount of service. The agency is currently using reserve funds to keep from cutting service, because half of our riders are traveling to and/or from work. However, due to falling property tax revenues from the recession, our reserves will be gone by 2017 and we’ll have to cut bus service by nearly 30%. With operating expenses projected to rise faster than property tax revenues moving forward, additional service cuts will most likely be needed beyond 2017 as well."

Are there new technologies you're hoping to implement with the buses as Wifi capabilities are made available in all vehicles?

"Yes, in fact one of the most exciting is a project currently underway with other transit agencies in the region, and that’s a universal “smartcard” fare system. Eventually people will be able to board a bus anywhere in the Tampa Bay area and use a smartcard or smart phone to pay their fare. In the meantime, we hope to have every PSTA bus Wi-Fi enabled by the end of this summer."

Are there any final comments you'd like to make regarding Greenlight?

"Absolutely. The Greenlight Pinellas Plan is the result of years of partnership, collaboration and vetting. Thousands of members of the public joined business, civic and government leaders to craft a plan that would provide our community with an affordable and viable transportation system. It has received broad bi-partisan support It's all on the site. and if approved, will lead to a transformational improvement to our transit system. If Greenlight goes through Longer hours of operation and increased service on weekends will finally accommodate second shift workers. Those along with new routes and amenities, will have a true county-wide impact including:

I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to visit Greenlight's website and learn about the plan – and what they are being asked to decide in November."

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For more information regarding Greenlight Pinellas you can visit their official website where you can acquire a more in-depth understanding of Greenlight Pinellas and the phases in which it will be introduced.

Political blogger Peter Schorsch, editor and publisher of SaintPetersBlog had this to say about Greenlight Pinellas:

"If you think of Greenlight as a solution to you personally not getting stuck in traffic, then you are missing the big picture. Even the most vocal Greenlight advocates will tell you the plan's impact on traffic is negligible. What Greenlight Pinellas is really about is redevelopment — for better or worse."

We hope this piece will lead to an open conversation about the plan. Let us know in the comments below what your current feelings are about Greenlight Pinellas or any questions you might have about the proposed plan.

*Video by Ride PSTA