The controversy over the property tax supporting the struggling Capital Area Transit System may have ended with passage of the ballot initiative on April 21 in Baton Rouge and Baker, but some of those who most ardently opposed the tax continue to show up at the Capitol daily to fight a bill that would change the makeup of the board overseeing CATS. “There are no citizens included [on the board under the bill]. They’re all appointed from these organizations that have their own agendas,” says Glenda Pollard, co-chair of Taxbusters. The CATS board of directors is currently made up of appointees from the Metro Council, which also has authority to OK or veto proposed changes to routes, fares and other CATS operations. House Bill 865, among other things, would take away the Metro Council’s authority over operations and alter its appointee nomination process to require them to take recommendations from local entities including the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Together Baton Rouge, Center for Planning Excellence, AARP Louisiana, Louisiana Hospital Association, LSU, Southern University, The Arc Baton Rouge, Louisiana Bankers Association, Visit Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Black Chamber of Commerce and the Louisiana AFL-CIO. Edgar Cage, co-chair of the Together Baton Rouge Transit Research Action Team, says the changes would make the CATS board the most accountable in the parish and would not lead to less oversight, as those who oppose it claim. “We’re trying to take the politics out of the transit system and put it in the hands of the people,” he says. The House passed the bill earlier this month. The Senate was to take up final approval of it on Tuesday, but it was once more delayed. It is not clear when it will be taken up, says Cage, adding members of Together Baton Rouge, Center for Planning Excellence and other local groups will also be at the Capitol to urge Senators to pass the bill. You can check out the full text of the bill at the Louisiana Legislature website here. —Steve Sanoski
Editor’s note: This story has been changed since its original publication.
