Any Dutchess takeover of Poughkeepsie bus service is strictly a city decision, says county exec

POUGHKEEPSIE – Mayor Robert
Rolison’s proposed 2017 budget includes funding for only six months
of operating costs for Poughkeepsie’s city bus system. He wants
Dutchess County to take it over, but that would require approval of the
common council, something a majority of lawmakers does not appear to support
at this point.
County Executive Marcus Molinaro said he has told the mayor the county would assume the city’s service if, and only if, the city opts to defund its own buses.
“The county is prepared to expand our service,” Molinaro said. “We look to accommodate their routes so that people’s commutes and making use of their system is not disrupted in any way, but this is entirely a City of Poughkeepsie decision.”
So far, residents who have spoken at common council meetings are not keen on the idea of turning over the service to the county, fearing it would suffer in the end.