Stark Area Regional Transit Authority is asking county residents to support Issue 4 on the May 5 ballot.
If approved, it would increase Stark County’s sales tax by 0.1% to aid SARTA. The additional funds are intended to cover the cost of replacing its aging bus fleet and restore prior service cuts, among other things.
The transportation agency is essential to the commerce of Stark County, according to Tammy Brown, SARTA’s director of human resources and a board member of Citizens for SARTA, which is campaigning for the increase.
“It’s a lifeline for many underserved people in Stark County,” Brown said. “People are able to get to work, which impacts not only the person getting to work, but many businesses. They would not have employees if SARTA did not bring those employees.”
SARTA was forced to make service cuts in Feb. 2025 due to rising operating costs. The cuts included reductions to Proline, the agency’s paratransit service.
Prior to scaling back the program, SARTA had more paratransit than the Federal Transit Administration requires, according to Brown. Now, the agency is operating at the federal minimum.
“FTA regulations only require us to operate three-quarters of a mile within any transit-fixed route that we have,” Brown said. “We were operating way beyond that, and we did have to pull it back because we just did not have the resources to continue in the same manner in which we did."
If passed, Issue 4 will renew the 0.25% sales tax on which SARTA currently operates and increase it by 0.1% for 10 years.
The proposed levy marks the first time SARTA has asked for a tax increase in about 30 years.
“As you can imagine, prices and costs have gone up significantly, and we are finding it very challenging to continue to provide all of Stark County with the same service, or even improved service,” Brown said.
As the levy stands, SARTA gets 5 cents for every $20 of sales tax revenue. If voters agree to increase the sales tax, SARTA would get 7 cents for every $20.
According to Brown, some of the agency’s buses are in need of replacement, having been in service for nine years and, as a result, requires more maintenance than some of the newer buses.
Issue 4 would also provide funds to create more routes for residents.
“We do want to expand service,” Brown said. “Currently, we don’t even have a Sunday service for Stark County, and we want to put some things in play like that.”
If voters don’t approve Issue 4, Brown said SARTA plans to return to the ballot in November.
“We would really have to take a look to stay sustained as long as possible,” she said. “So that may mean some additional cuts.”
Brown added that if the levy doesn’t pass, SARTA will try to avoid a fare increase.
“We really do not want to increase fares at this time. We serve the underserved,” Brown said. “Many of our riders don’t have the resources at all and even if we did raise fares, it doesn’t even make a dent in what it takes to operate SARTA.”
