Capital Area Transit System will soon have the means to move forward in its plan for comprehensive transit reform after voters in Baton Rouge and Baker approved a property tax Saturday dedicated to fund the struggling bus system.
The tax passed in Baton Rouge with a 54 percent vote in support and in Baker with 58 percent. The tax proposal failed in Zachary with a 79 percent vote against its passage.
The tax will span 10 years and raise about $17.3 million per year, according to the CATS website.
The tax will be levied at a 10.6-mill rate on the value of a person’s property. One mill equals 1/1000 of a dollar.
Service improvements as a result of the additional funding will include decreasing wait times from 75 minutes to 15 minutes, adding GPS tracking to buses and expanding service from 19 to 37 routes.
New shelters, signs and benches will be placed at bus stops, and the current spokes system will be replaced by a grid system. There will be eight new express and limited stop routes as well.
As a result of the approved tax, CATS operations will no longer be under the jurisdiction of Metro Council.
According to CATS’ website, the average cost of the tax per household per month in Baton Rouge will be $14; in Baker it will be $10.
 
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Contact Emily Herrington at [email protected]