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OKAY, GOOD EVENING[ VIA Metropolitan VIA / ATD Budget Public Hearing 09/18/2023]
EVERYONE.I'M LETICIA VASIC AND I'M THE MANAGER OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND I WANTED TO INTRODUCE FIRST OF ALL MY BOSS, A DIRECTOR, TOM MARKS, AND OF COURSE OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR, STEVE LGE LANGE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
AUDREY RIVERA IS OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR, SO THANK YOU AUDREY FOR BEING HERE.
AND I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE FOLKS FROM MY OFFICE THAT FACILITATED THIS MEETING.
UM, TONY LUNA, GEORGE MARTINEZ, ODELIA.
AND OF COURSE, MICHAEL FROM IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS.
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW AS FAR AS THE PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT, IF YOU HAVE REGISTERED TO SPEAK, WE WILL CALL YOU IN THE ORDER THAT YOU REGISTERED.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE THEIR COMMENTS.
THERE WILL BE NO RESPONSES OR COMMENTS BACK AT THIS TIME, AND VIA STAFF WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR YOU AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED AND HAVE OUR BUDGET DEPARTMENT COME UP AND PRESENT THE BUDGET.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WANTED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING OF THE 20 23 20 24 BUDGET FOR VIA.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS AUDREY RIVERA AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF O M B.
SO TONIGHT I'LL BE PRESENTING THE F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE'LL COVER A SNAPSHOT OF F Y 23, UM, OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR F Y 24 FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL PLANNED AND OUR FIVE-YEAR FORECAST.
OUR BUDGET TIMELINE, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, INCLUDED, UH, TRUSTEE BRIEFINGS AND, UH, ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS WELL AS OUR PUBLIC MEETING.
TONIGHT, WE'LL BE PRESENTING TO THE, WE BE PRESENTING THE BUDGET TO THE BOARD TOMORROW AT OUR BOARD WORK SESSION.
AND THEN WE'LL PRESENT THE BUDGET AGAIN FOR ADOPTION ON SEPTEMBER 26TH.
THE FISCAL YEAR WILL THEN BEGIN ON OCTOBER 1ST.
OUR FY 23 YEAR IN REVIEW INCLUDES OUR GREEN LINE PROJECT, WHICH HAD ITS PROJECT OFFICE GRAND OPENING, AND OUR PROJECT IS MOVING INTO ENGINEERING PHASE.
OTHER KS A PROJECTS INCLUDE, UH, PROGRESS ON OUR SILVER LINE, OUR SECOND O AND M FACILITY, SITE IDENTIFICATION AND EXPANSION OF YIELD LINK SERVICE IN THE SOUTH ZONE.
WE ARE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE ON CONSTRUCTION OF NACO PASS MOBILITY HUB AND IH 10 PARK AND POOL, AND COMPLETED FINAL DESIGN FOR RANDOLPH TRANSIT CENTER.
OVERALL, RIDERSHIP FOR FIXED ROUTE HAS INCREASED BY 16% OVER OCTOBER, 2020, AND VIA TRANS HAS INCREASED BY 62% OVER THE SAME TIME PERIOD.
OUR M T A SALES TAX RECEIPTS SHOWN ON THE LEFT FOR F Y 23 JULY YEAR TO DATE ARE 5.8% HIGHER THAN IN THE SAME PERIOD FOR THE PRIOR YEAR.
THE SPIKES IN FEBRUARY, MAY, AUGUST, AND NOVEMBER REFLECT RECEIPTS FROM QUARTERLY FILERS.
ALSO, THE FEBRUARY SPIKE REFLECTS HIGH SEASONAL SALE ACTIVITY FROM DECEMBER.
FOR MOST NON QUARTERLY FILERS, THERE IS A TWO MONTH LAG BETWEEN THE MONTH THAT THE SALES OCCUR AND THE MONTH VIA RECEIVES THE SALES TAX.
FAIRBOX REVENUE IS SHOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
THE AQUA BLUE LINE WITH DATA POINTS NEAR THE X AXIS IN APRIL AND MAY REFLECT THE YEAR COVID HIT IN 2020 AND FREE RIDES WERE OFFERED FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS, AND F Y 23 THROUGH MAY.
FAIRBOX REVENUE IS 12.9% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD FOR THE PRIOR YEAR FOR FY 24 PROPOSED BUDGET.
OUR BUDGET GOALS REMAIN THE SAME AS WE CONTINUE TO RECOVER AND GROW RIDERSHIP, ADVANCE THE CASE AND PLAN, BUILD STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND INVEST IN STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOR F Y 24, OUR ASSUMPTIONS ARE OUR SALES TAX GROWTH RATE OF ABOUT 3.3%.
OUR PROPOSED F Y 24 SERVICE INCREASES IN FIXED ROUTES ABOUT 3%, WHICH IS FOR RELIABILITY AND FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS VIA TRANS IS A 6% INCREASE.
ADJUSTED TO MEET SERVICE DEMAND VIA LINK IS 15% INCREASE, AND THAT'S THREE EXISTING ZONES ADJUSTED TO MEET SERVICE DEMAND AND THEN ALSO PROPOSAL OF A NEW ZONE.
WE HAVE LIMITED NEW POSITIONS, WHICH ARE FRONTLINE FOCUS.
ALSO, WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON HIRING AND RETENTION.
OUR PENSION AND OPE ARE CONSISTENT WITH ACTUALLY DETERMINED LEVELS AND A CONTINUED FOCUS ON RIDERSHIP RECOVERY AND EXPENSES FROM OUR
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KS A PLANNING, OUR OVERALL F Y 24 OPERATING AND CAPITAL CONSOLIDATED BUDGET IS $390.8 MILLION.67% OF THAT IS OUR OPERATING BUDGET, AND THE OTHER 33% IS OUR CAPITAL BUDGET.
OUR OPERATING EXPENSES ARE $262.5 MILLION WITH ABOUT, UM, 77% OF THAT BUDGET FOR OPERATIONS.
THAT INCLUDES EXPENSES SUCH AS LABOR SERVICES, POLICE AND SECURITY MATERIALS, AND PURCHASE TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATION TAKES THE OTHER 23%.
FOR A BUDGET OVERVIEW, WE HAD A FORECAST OF $274.5 MILLION, UM, TO A PROPOSED BUDGET OF $262.5 MILLION.
UH, SOME OF THE NOTABLE, UH, VARIANCES HAVE TO DO WITH OPEP, WHICH IS FAVORABLE DUE TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE TRANSITION.
WE HAVE OUR SILVER LINE ART TO EAST WEST ADVANCE IN PROJECT STATUS AND LOWERED SOME OF OUR EXPENSES.
WE HAVE FUEL SAVINGS, WHICH ARE DUE TO LOWER C N G PRICES IN OUR FLEET.
MIX PENSION WAS BASED ON ACTUARIES, UH, K A, UH, WE HAD SOME INCREASES DUE TO OUR SECOND O AND M FACILITY.
FOR OUR NET WAGE INCREASE, WE HAD 16 NEW POSITIONS, OUR COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT AND RETIREE PAYOUT.
UH, WE HAD TIMING ON SOME OF OUR OPERATING PROJECTS, UH, WHICH WAS MAINLY DUE TO NAVIANCE.
THERE WAS JUST A DELAY IN THAT PROJECT.
VIA CARE, WE HAD ABOUT 1.7% PLAN INCREASE DUE TO 2022 TO 2023 CLAIMS. WE HAD SOME CONTRACTUAL RATE INCREASES, INCREASES IN TRAINING AND MEETINGS DUE TO VIA HOSTING OUR RODEO.
WE ALSO HAVE VIA TRANS AND VIA LINK SERVICE INCREASES INFLATION COSTS OF ABOUT 1.1 MILLION.
WE ALSO HAD OUR GREEN LINE INCREASES DUE TO OUR STATION AREA PLAN, AND OF COURSE, NET OF ALL LEATHER, WHICH WAS MAINLY DUE TO MAINTENANCE CAMPAIGNS AND SERVICES SUCH AS COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND CONSULTING SERVICES.
SO OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, AGAIN, REVIEWING THE BUDGET AT THE EXPENSE CATEGORY LEVEL, THE F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET TO F Y 23 FORECAST IS 4% LESS WHEN EXCLUDING AMORTIZATION EXPENSES.
THE F Y 23 BUDGET DID NOT INCLUDE, UH, G A SS B REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
HOWEVER, WE DID INCLUDE AN F Y 23 FORECAST.
THUS, THE VARIANCE TO FORECAST IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE VIEW, THE MAIN DRIVERS OF FOR THE VARIABLE VARIANCE IN LABOR AND FRINGES AT 12 POINT MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS MAINLY DUE TO OP E DECREASE THAT I JUST SPOKE ON.
UH, FUEL SAVINGS INCREASES IN MATERIAL SUPPLIES FOR BUS PARTS AND MAINTENANCE CAMPAIGN, FAIR MEDIA AND TIMING OF, UH, PURCHASES FOR SECURITY OFFICER SUPPLIES.
OUR PURCHASE TRANSPORTATION HAS ALSO INCREASED DUE TO SERVICE HOUR AND CONTRACTUAL RATE INCREASES.
WHEN REVIEWING THE BUDGET BY DEPARTMENT, NON-DEPARTMENTAL HAS THE BIGGEST DECREASE.
AGAIN, THIS IS DUE MAINLY TO THE DECREASE IN O OPEP OFFSET BY INCREASES TO PENSION AND VIA CARE MAINTENANCE IS ALSO C N A DECLINE DUE TO FUEL SAVINGS.
AS WE ANTICIPATE LOWER C N G PRICES.
OPERATIONS HAS INCREASED OVER THE FORECAST, AGAIN, DUE TO THE DELAY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NAVIENT PROJECT, AS WELL AS AN INCREASE IN PARATRANSIT SERVICE.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT INCREASES MAINLY DUE TO ADDITIONAL SERVICES FOR CUSTOMER OUTREACH OFFSET BY VACANCY SAVINGS.
OUR SAFETY TRAINING AND SYSTEM SECURITY DEPARTMENT IS DUE TO VACANCIES FOR SECURITY STAFF WITH AN ANTICIPATION OF BEING FULLY STAFFED IN F Y 24 FOR AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.
AS STATED EARLIER, THERE IS A FOCUS ON FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES.
THE F Y 24 PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES 16 NEW POSITIONS.
THIS INCLUDES 10 VAN OPERATORS, A LEAD COUNSELOR, MAINTENANCE FACILITY, AND PASSENGER AMENITY STAFF AND PARATRANSIT RESERVATION STAFF.
THE PROPOSED FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDES A $128.3 MILLION F Y 24 SPENDING PLAN FOR VEHICLES, FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, AND KSS.
A PROJECTS VEHICLES MAKE UP ABOUT 48.6% OF THE SPENDING PLAN, FOLLOWED BY 34.5% OF KSS A PROJECTS 11.1% OF FACILITIES AND 5.7% FOR EQUIPMENT.
THE PROPOSED FIVE YEAR CAPITAL BUDGET IN TOTAL EQUALS TO ABOUT ONE 1122.2 MILLION WITH 70.3% OF THAT SPENDING ATTRIBUTED TO KSS A PROJECTS FOR THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A FIVE-YEAR PROJECTION OF REVENUES AND EXPENSES.
WE LOOK BEYOND THE UPCOMING YEAR TO ENSURE THAT WHAT
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VIA IS PLANNING TO SPEND IS FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE.FOR KSS A M WE DO 20 YEAR PROJECTIONS.
SALES TAX REVENUE, WHICH ARE FORECAST TO ACCOUNT FOR 83.6% OF VIAS NET NON-OPERATING REVENUE AND F Y 24 TO 28 ARE PROJECTED TO GROW AT BETWEEN 3.3% AND 5.7 UH, PER YEAR.
WITH THE F Y 24 GROWTH RATE BEING 3.3% NET INCOME, THAT'S BEFORE DEPRECIATION AND M IZATION EXP EXPENSES RANGES FROM 96 MILLION TO 124 MILLION PER YEAR IN F Y 24 TO F Y 28 FOR OUR RESERVE BALANCE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE PROJECTIVE RESERVE BALANCES OR RESERVES ARE THE SUM OF VIAS CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND INVESTMENTS AT THE END OF F Y 24 VIAS PROJECTING TO HAVE 411 MILLION IN RESERVES, DOWN 32 MILLION FROM THE PROJECTED, UM, SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023 BALANCE REFLECTING THE SPENDING OF FUNDS FOR PROJECTS AGAINST WHICH THOSE FUNDS ARE PROGRAMMED.
THE UNRESTRICTED CASH RESERVE HAS A PROJECTED RESERVE BALANCE OF 267, I'M SORRY, 276 MILLION AT THE END OF THE F Y 28 FISCAL YEAR.
THIS RESERVE CAPTURES FUNDS AVAILABLE AFTER ALL OTHER RESERVES HAVE BEEN FUNDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH BOARD POLICY.
THE GRAPH AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE SHOWS A 20 YEAR PROJECTION TIMEFRAME THAT WE USE FOR KSS A PROJECTIONS.
MOST OF THE UNRESTRICTED CASH RESERVE GETS GRADUALLY SPENT DOWN BETWEEN F Y 28 AND THE END OF THE 20 YEAR HORIZON, WHICH IS F Y 42 I.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU AUDREY, VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
AND I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE MYRA HERE FROM THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AS WELL.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND SEE HOW MANY FOLKS HAVE SIGNED UP.
GEORGE, YOU WANNA BRING UP THE LIST PLEASE? OR IF YOU WANNA ANNOUNCE WHO'S UP FIRST? YES, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE.
MICHAEL, WOULD YOU COME UP? PLEASE COME ON UP HERE AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I'M A STUDENT AT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE, A SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE FOR EDGEWOOD I S D, AND I ALSO SERVE ON THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH GIVES THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO A VOICE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS.
WHEN I CAME HERE TODAY, I CAME ON THE 75 ROUTE, A ROUTE THAT IS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
AND ALTHOUGH THERE IS, THERE IS A SLAB FOR A SHELTER, IT DOES NOT HAVE A BUS SHELTER, ALTHOUGH IT DOES HAVE A CON, A CEMENT BENCH, BUT IT BURNS WHENEVER YOU SIT ON IT BECAUSE THERE IS NO SHELTER.
UH, WHENEVER I RIDE THE 68, I NOTICE THAT ON GUADALUPE AND ZAMORA, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S OLD BUS SHELTERS.
YOU KNOW, THE RANDOM ONES THEY LOOK LIKE FROM THERE, FROM THE SEVENTIES WITH THE RANDOM TWO LITTLE BENCHES AND A BENCH THAT CANNOT ACCOMMODATE ALL THE RIDERS THAT WANT TO RIDE THE BUS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF INEQUITIES DEPENDING ON WHAT SIDE OF TOWN YOU LIVE ON, AND THAT SHOULD NOT, THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
WHENEVER I RIDE THE 103, I NOTICE THAT BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE WEST AND SOUTH SIDE, THE BUS SHELTERS ARE REALLY DIRTY AND NOT TAKEN CARE OF.
BUT IF YOU RIDE THE FREDERICKSBURG PRIMO ROUTE, THOSE ARE ALWAYS UP TO DATE KEPT, SWEAT KEPT SWEET SWEEPED, AND THERE'S REALLY NO DEBRIS ON THE FLOOR.
IF, IF ME AND SOMEONE ELSE WANTED TO RIDE THE BUS, UM, AND RIDE OUR BIKE, ME AND MY LITTLE COUSIN HERE, WE CAME, UM, TO WE, WHEN WE CAME, WE RODE THE BUS AND WE PUT OUR BIKE ON THE BUS.
IT'S, WE'RE EITHER LUCKY BECAUSE NO OTHER BUS BIKE RIDER IS ON THE BUS OR WE'RE WE'RE CAUSING AN INCONVENIENCE TO ANOTHER BUS BIKE RIDER BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE NEXT BUS BECAUSE YOU ONLY CAN PUT TWO BIKES ON THE FRONT OF THE BUS.
WHAT ELSE WAS I, OH, WHEN, WHENEVER I RIDE THE BUS DURING THE NIGHTTIME, YOU HAVE BUS SHELTERS THAT ARE, ALTHOUGH THEY, THEY DON'T, THEY HAVE LIGHT, NO ONE'S, NO ONE'S UP.
KEEPING THE LIGHT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THE LIGHTS WORK AND FIXING THE SOLAR PANELS.
UH, I HELPED DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET VIA HAS SOMEONE ADDRESSING THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BUS SHELTERS AND CONCERNS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT OUTSIDE IN THE BUS SHELTERS AND THE BENCHES HERE IN THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MICHAEL.THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MELODY M I'M SORRY, MELODY.
I, I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR LAST NAME WAS WRITTEN ON THE SHEET.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND FEEL FREE TO ADJUST THE MIC.
I AM, UH, BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE INVESTMENT AND FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN WHERE RIDER RIDERSHIP IS HIGHER.
MOST BUS SHELTERS AND BENCHES ARE OWED AND NOT MAINTAINED.
MOST OF THE BUS, SH BUS SHELTERS AND BENCHES ARE OWED AND NOT MAINTAINED.
PLEASE HAVE PROPER PROCEDURES FOR MONITORING MAINTENANCE NEEDS OF THE BUS SHELTERS IN THE WEST SIDE AND AROUND TOWN.
ALSO, ROUTES SHOULD BE REEVALUATED WITH COMMUNITY INPUT.
THERE ARE NO ROUTES TO TAKE YOU FROM PORT OF SAN ANTONIO TO CROSSROADS VIA TRANSIT CENTER.
KELLY TRANSIT CENTER SHOULD BE BUILT OUT JUST LIKE 2 81 TRANSIT CENTER.
SMALL BUSES NEED TO BE SWITCHED TO LONGER BUSES ON ROUTE 76 AND 75.
MY SON RIDES HIS BIKE AND IF TWO PEOPLE HAVE BIKES, HE HAS TO WAIT TILL THE NEXT BUS.
THIS IS NOT CONVENIENT AND CAUSES DELAYS.
OUR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS DESERVE BETTER.
I
ARE THERE ANYONE ELSE OR ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THAT DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN IN? I WOULD LOVE TO.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS GENTER TWO AND I'M A DEAF INDIVIDUAL AND I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS MONTH WE'RE HONORING DEAF AWARENESS MONTH.
SO THE REASON THAT I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT VIA SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO PROVIDE VIDEO INTERPRETING SERVICES IN THE BUDGET FOR DEAF INDIVIDUALS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE DISA DISABLED, PEOPLE WHO USE WHEELCHAIRS AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT EQUIPMENTS.
WE NEED THOSE SHELTERS IN PLACE FOR DISABLED INDIVIDUALS SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A BRIGHTER FUTURE.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC HEARING, BUT BEFORE I CONCLUDE AND ADJOURN THE PUBLIC HEARING, I JUST WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SLIDE ON THE SCREEN THAT LETS YOU KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 22ND BY 5:00 PM THERE'S DIFFERENT METHODS THAT YOU CAN CONTACT US AND COMMENT, AND THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS.
IF YOU EMAIL, IT'S GCR@VIAINFO.NET.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO TO THE WEBPAGE, THE WEBPAGE ADDRESS IS VIA INFO.NET/FY 24 BUDGET.
YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL US AND ALSO LEAVE A MESSAGE.
AND THAT NUMBER IS TWO TEN THREE SIXTY TWO TWENTY THREE EIGHTY NINE.
AND LASTLY, IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAIL YOUR COMMENTS, YOU CAN MAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO IN CARE OF GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS REGARDING FISCAL YEAR 2024.
BUDGET AT PO BOX 1 2 4 8 9, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 7 8 2 1 2.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN PERSON.