News Local/State

Champaign Southwest MTD Board Votes to Seek Dissolution

By Jim Meadows
 

A transit district formed to challenge the expansion of Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit into Southwest Champaign is throwing in the towel. On Tuesday evening, the board of the Champaign Southwest Mass Transit District approved plans for its dissolution.

The Champaign Southwest MTD has never provided any transit service. Its backers believe southwest Champaign does not t need bus service or the property taxes that come with it, and they especially oppose any annexation of southwest Champaign by the Champaign-Urbana MTD.

But the formation of the Champaign Southwest MTD failed to prevent the Champaign-Urbana MTD from annexing the region. A legal fluke left the two districts with overlapping territory.

Requests to remove one district or the other were rejected by the courts. Jack Dempsey, the Champaign Southwest MTD’s newest board member, said that sealed their fate.

“Once the court had ruled, the purpose of the district was no longer valid," Dempsey explained. “And I think the right thing happened tonight, which was to dissolve and find a civic use for the taxpayers of the money as it related to transportation.”

At its quarterly meeting at a church in southwest Champaign Tuesday night, Champaign Southwest MTD Board members voted 5-0 to convert leftover funds of about $75,000 into an endowment to help needy residents of the district with their transportation needs.

The money was raised by a property tax levy, and used mostly for the district unscuccessful legal battle. Once the remaining funds are transferred to the Community Foundation of East Central illinois, Champaign Southwest Board Chairman Ed Vaughan will formally ask the Champaign County Board to dissolve the district.

Vaughan said that despite their failure to achieve their main goal of stopping the Champaign-Urbana MTD from expansion, he believes they got their message across.

"We brought a lot of awareness to the fact that they run empty buses …  whether they’re needed or not," said Vaughan. “But at the same time, out here, I’m seeing that some of the buses are smaller buses … Did we accomplish something by doing that? You better believe it."

The actual dissolution of the Champaign Southwest Mass Transit District may not happen for a few months. But for now, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District Board has no further scheduled meetings, and has already dropped its property tax levy down to zero.