Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution amends the Transportation Department's 2023 Adopted Capital Budget to establish a new grant program to support accessible taxi cabs. The resolution adds $250,000 in General Fund supported GO borrowing to support the program. Funding would be available to licensed taxi companies in Madison to buy accessible taxi cabs. Annual debt service payments on the $250,000 in borrowing are estimated to be $32,500.
Title
SUBSTITUTE: Establishing a Grant Program to Support Accessible Taxi Cabs in Madison
Body
WHEREAS, according to the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the need for additional accessible taxi vehicles is identified in the 2019-2023 Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan for Dane County due to “limited number of wheelchair-accessible vehicles can result in long waits at certain peak times, leading to capacity and service reliability challenges”; and,
WHEREAS, accessible transportation providers other than taxi companies typically require at least 24 hours’ notice for requested rides, which does not provide equitable transportation access to needed destinations for people experiencing mobility impairments; and,
WHEREAS, the sole current provider of accessible taxi service in the Madison area reports that they are unable to meet existing demand for accessible vehicle rides; and,
WHEREAS, there is a significant correlation between mobility-impaired and senior populations; and,
WHEREAS, Dane County’s population aged 65 and older is projected to increase by 29,230 individuals between 2020 and 2030, and Madison is home to 47% of Dane County’s population; and,
WHEREAS, transportation remains a critical civil rights issue for people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed in 1990, was intended to ensure the equal treatment and equal access of people with disabilities and prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. Despite this, the Disabled/disab...
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