Cincinnati voters reject funding transit plan

Greater Cincinatti voted against funding an enhanced transit system including light rail with a vote of 68% to 32%. The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), which operates Metro, placed a half-cent sales tax on the ballot in Hamilton County to fund the local portion needed to build and operate both the light rail system in Hamilton County and the expanded bus service. The final MetroMoves plan, released by SORTA in 2002, redesigns Metro from a city-based bus system to a truly regional transit sytem that includes both bus and rail service. "The community has decided not to fund the MetroMoves plan in Hamilton County at this time, and we respect that decision," said Peter D. Gomsak Jr., chairman of the SORTA board of trustees. The board has made no decision concerning its next step for the project, but remains committed to the plan, said Gomsak.