Link Transit approves 2023 budget, fueled by high sales tax revenue

Other new expenses in the 2023 operating budget include:

• Hiring two security guards for security at Columbia Station.
• A new capital planner.
• A Highway 2 study to learn what’s required to build a bus-only lane from the Big Y Park & Ride in Peshastin to Leavenworth.

On the revenue side, Link Transit has received an “unprecedented” amount of sales tax, amounting to $24.1 million. It totals about 76% of all revenue.

Link Transit staff were conservative when estimating the amount of sales tax they expect to receive next year.

“This conservative approach is based on inflation running high and the feds raising interest rates to slow down inflation,” according to the summary report. “The side effect is slowing the construction and real estate industry dollars which is Link’s biggest category of sales tax collected. The last couple of years, sales tax increases have been 20% to 30% per year, which we feel is unsustainable.”

Link Transit budgeted about $31.5 million total revenue for 2023, about $5.6 million more than was budgeted in 2022, according to the operating budget summary.

The 2023 Link Transit capital budget is at $34.6 million. About $22.9 million comes from Link Transit’s vehicle and facility reserve accounts, with $13.7 out of the $22.9 million carried over from 2022, and $11.8 funded via grants. According to the staff report, the major budgeted, capital purchases for 2023 include:

• Purchase of the Hay Canyon property purchase for a future park and ride at the new pullouts under the Hay Canyon Bridge.
• Purchase of six new Ebusco battery electric buses and charger, which are made in the Netherlands. Link Transit will use local money and be the first to acquire these vehicles in the U.S.
• Purchase of 30-foot Build Your Dreams battery-electric buses.
• Replace a gas-powered vehicle used for coach operator trade outs with a new battery electric car.
• Fund the construction of bus p
• ullouts at the new roundabout at Easy Street and Highway 2.
• Redesigning Link’s Operation and Maintenance Base and possibly Columbia Station.
• Upgrading and development of two park and rides:
• East Wenatchee Park & Ride — add comfort station for the operators, car chargers and a vault for future charging opportunities.
• Rock Island Park & Ride — Link owns land in Rock Island and will put in a small park and ride and comfort station.
• Community art projects.
• A place holder for a roundabout for the city of Wenatchee at Crawford and Okanogan avenues. Link makes many left-hand turns and with the traffic volumes, this turn creates a safety concern. Staff will need to work with the city to see if this is a feasible and affordable project for 2023.
• Construct the roundabout at Icicle Road and Highway 2 in Leavenworth. Design will be complete in early 2023, with construction before summer of 2023.
• A new access to the Town Toyota Center, either a tunnel or bridge from Wenatchee Avenue to the Town Toyota Center.