September 2, 2015

City Will Not Change Budget to End Bus Strike

Sun Tran seeing $145K savings a week since strike began.

Public transportation, bus, Sun Tran SPOT
Maria Inés Taracena, AZPM

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By Sara Hammond, for AZPM

Tucson’s City Manager said he’s not in favor of reopening the municipal budget process to help settle the Sun Tran bus strike, now in its fifth week.

At a Wednesday press conference, Michael Ortega said the Tucson mayor and council set a budget months ago for the bus system.

“The budget process, the integrity of the budget process is extremely important to maintain,” Ortega said.

Sun Tran and its management company are saving an estimated $145,000 a week since the strike began, and the company could consider using some of that money to help settle the strike.

Ortega also said Sun Tran has a set budget for the year, and if it is incurring any unexpected costs due to the strike, especially for providing temporary service along some of its routes, it cannot ask for those costs to be reimbursed by the city.

Ortega said he has told Sun Tran on three occasions – including this week – to get back to the bargaining table. He’s also delivered the same message to the Teamsters union.

Ortega said the city realized a savings of about $500,000 last fiscal year from lower fuel costs. That sum has gone back into the city’s general fund for distribution throughout various municipal departments, including transportation.

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