Mesa could get more bus shelters and revenue in a proposal officials are studying to advertise at bus stops.
The City Council met early Thursday to review their agenda for Monday’s council meeting, including the annual approval of the city’s contract with Valley Metro for transit services.
Mesa is budgeting $4.8 million toward transit services, less than last fiscal year’s $6.1 million transit budget, partly due to a more than $3 million increase in funding from a county-wide sales tax for city transportation, to $5.2 million.
Councilwoman Dina Higgins questioned whether advertising on buses or bus stops, an issue broached before by the council, could help recover some of the costs still incurred by the city.
It’s an issue city transportation staff is already studying, and hopes could actually enhance and bring more bus shelters for bus riders, as well as regular revenue.
“Anything that can put more shelters up,” Higgins said. “I see people standing under the shade of a telephone pole and I feel bad.”
Mike James, the city’s deputy transportation director, said Mesa officials are studying a program already in use in Chandler, where companies pay to advertise on bus stops, which they install and maintain themselves.
Chandler brings in $4,000 to $7,000 in monthly fees from the advertisements, James said.
In order to make it work, sign code would need to be changed to allow for the advertisements at bus shelters, he said.
Advertising on buses themselves is out of the question, since Valley Metro has a policy prohibiting the advertisements, James said.
“There are changes we’d like to bring forward very soon,” he said.
Mesa has for years depended upon the tax revenue from retail sale. One of the problems with this type of taxation, is that its not recession proof.
Unless the city goes to a more safer tax structure, in the near future. The use of novelties like Bus Ads will be just that a novelty. We need a tax base that is safe and dependable. Retail sale is a high risk situation and it needs to be evaluated.
We need strong leadership not just speeches and we are trying activity.