If the mass budget cuts currently facing Centro continue and affect on-campus busing, Syracuse University must take a firm stance to oppose the cuts and defend transportation resources for the university community.

An amendment to a $325 billion highway bill approved by the House of Representatives earlier this month may lead to cuts of $820 million over six years in public transportation aid to New York state, according to Syracuse.com. The bill would cause Centro to lose $12 million over the course of six years.

The partnership between SU and Centro is integral to life at the university for many students, faculty and staff members, considering the company services routes to student housing and other central locations in Syracuse. If the proposed cuts make it into the final version of the bill, the university must offer its full support to Centro by working closely with lawmakers and devoting resources for lobbying efforts to oppose the legislation.

However, the university should only offer its support if cuts would directly impact bus service on the SU campus. The university’s priority should be to ensure these resources remain available to those on campus, and it does not have a financial responsibility nor obligation to ensure the bill prevents wide-scale change, affecting the city of Syracuse and New York state.

Scot Vanderpool, manager of Parking and Transit Services at SU, said in an email that the contract the university has with Centro is separate from Centro’s dealings with other cities and that on-campus services won’t be affected by whether state funding is available to Centro.

Meanwhile, Rick Lee, the executive director of Centro, said the cuts are system-wide and would affect all of Centro’s contracts, including the one with SU.

Before the university can take a stance, it must be clarified whether or not budget cuts made to the bus company will even affect the university. The contradicting statements from university officials and Centro representatives leave the local community unprepared to deal with any changes that may stem from the bill.

The bill is currently being negotiated by a House-Senate conference committee and, if passed, the effects of the cuts would start to set in on April 1, Centro’s next fiscal year.

While SU is not in a position to defend Centro to the extent of its statewide services, it can work with lawmakers to combat budget cuts of this scale to sustain bus routes that run through campus, which students, faculty and staff depend on.

Published on November 17, 2015 at 10:23 pm

Contact: opinion@dailyorange.com