Santa Barbara MTD Board declares fiscal and public health emergency

The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) Board of Directors unanimously adopted a resolution declaring a fiscal and public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“This declaration was made in light of the evolving public health situation, and to allow MTD to plan, prepare and react to future fiscal and public health developments appropriately,” said MTD General Manager Jerry Estrada.

MTD says this declaration of this emergency does the following:

• Declares a fiscal and public health emergency, effective March 27, 2020.

• Authorizes the general manager and/or his designee(s) to take all actions necessary or intended to protect MTD employees and the public from this health emergency.

• Authorizes the general manager and/or his designee(s) to begin emergency bus service reductions as may be necessary.

• Authorizes the general manager and/or his designee(s), in consultation with the board chairperson and/or his designee(s), to implement employee policy changes that have budgetary impacts, and that such changes will be brought to the board at a later date with any necessary budget or policy amendments.

• Directs that responses to suggestions made by the public at the meeting of March 27, 2020, if any, be made within 30 days at a scheduled public meeting.

“Declaring a fiscal emergency acknowledges the recent precipitous drop in our ridership and loss of passenger fares due to COVID-19. We also anticipate a major decline in sales tax revenue, and need to gird for these losses as an agency,” said MTD Board Chair Dave Davis.