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A draft resolution rolling around City Hall could mean free bus service during big Santa Fe events, including Indian and Spanish Markets, Zozobra and the Canyon Road farolito walk on Christmas Eve.
Transit Director Jon Bulthuis tells me the proposal grew out of a request by the North Central Regional Transit District, the entity that handles revenue from the local regional transit tax. The NCRTD provides free bus service, and officials there want to see public transit during major Santa Fe events – which is apparently funded by the transit tax – follow suit.
The city already provides free transportation on a limited scale for the Folk Art Market and some other events. The City Council has also traditionally voted to allow free bus service on Election Day.
One question, according to Bulthuis, is how to arrange the free transportation. For instance, the city shuttles people to the Folk Art Market from a few meeting points. From a legal standpoint, however, it’s probably better for Santa Fe to provide free transit city-wide on event days, Bulthuis said.
At any rate, the proposal is still in draft form and doesn’t yet have a City Council sponsor. The city’s Transit Advisory Board tabled a review of the measure today after City Councilor Chris Calvert – who had specifically requested that the resolution be on today’s agenda – failed to show.
Here’s a copy of the draft: Public Transit Resolution
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