POUGHKEEPSIE – Mayor Robert
Rolison the common council’s refusal to turn its bus fleet over
to Dutchess County is placing the city in a serious financial position.
Since those vehicles are federally funded, the city must turn them over
to Dutchess Transit, which has taken over city bus service, or reimburse
Washington as much as $1.8 million.
For the last several months, the common council has been unable to garner
the five votes needed to transfer the buses. The most recent failed effort
occurred on Monday night.
The federal government has given the city a 30-day ultimatum – turn
over the buses or pay the money back.
Rolison said the city either needs that money or doesn’t have
it.
“I do not know, at this point in time, what it is going to take
for these council people to understand that their actions are jeopardizing
the fiscal health of this city, not only now, but in the future,”
he said. “It’s like talking to a wall when it comes to this.”
The mayor is not giving up and is looking at all angles including the
possibility of unilateral action to turn the buses over to the county.
If Poughkeepsie does not have the cash to pay Washington back, the Federal
Transit Administration could withhold other funding for police, or housing,
or human services programs.
