Voters likely won’t get to decide whether public transit should get a bigger share of a 1-cent sales and use tax that funds road construction and maintenance projects and public transit.

Officials from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, its Citizen Advisory Committee and a Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce task force agreed in a joint meeting Monday that the formula for dividing up the tax shouldn’t be changed, when a renewal question is brought to the ballot in November 2012.

 Under the 2004 voter-approved division of revenue, public transit gets 10 percent of the 1 percent tax that’s collected in unincorporated El Paso County, the cities of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, and the towns of Green Mountain Falls and Ramah.

 Maintenance projects receive 35 percent, and capital construction projects 55 percent. The latter sunsets in 2014. Transportation officials agreed Monday to bring a renewal measure before voters next November.

 A nearly year-long study of the local public transportation system, called the Future of Regional Transportation, had looked at the possibility as a way to boost revenue for the city of Colorado Springs-operated system because it has experienced drastic budget cuts in recent years.

 Other agreements reached Monday:

 – The PPRTA board would refer the measure to the ballot and pay for the cost, an estimated $200,000 to $350,000.

 – Gross revenue for the RTA is estimated at $69 million per year

 – Future projects should be reprioritized for voter approval

 – Projects will shift from large-scale ones to relieve traffic congestion to smaller, ones to sustain and improve existing infrastructure

 – Still to be decided: Whether the extension should be for 10 or 12 years and whether voters should be presented with just one project list instead of three lists, which is what voters approved in 2004. Projects on only the A list are likely to be completed before the existing capital tax expires in 2014. But there are projects on a B list and a C list that won’t be addressed. The PPRTA’s Citizen Advisory Committee will review those and other issues and make a recommendation to the PPRTA board, the final decision-maker on the plans.

 Former County Commissioner Douglas Bruce advised the group to reconsider referring a renewal measure to the ballot next year, saying it should be brought to voters in 2014, when it expires, not before.

Always wanted to try the bus service? On Earth Day, April 22, Mountain Metropolitan Transit will offer free bus rides on city buses and the two commuter lines, the FrontRange Express north to Denver and the Ute Pass Express west to Divide.

The city of Colorado Springs operates the systems and wants to give loyal riders, as well as newcomers, the chance to experience the local service, according to Craig Blewitt, interim transit division manager.

Free bus rides also will be given to active duty military and reserves throughout May, in honor of Military Appreciation Month. Military passengers will need to show their identification cards to get the free service.

  In a municipal election, like the one being held today, leadership at the city of Colorado Springs independently gets to choose who conducts the election. The city typically has decided to contract with a private entity and do some of the work in-house.

But it could be a different story next time a city election rolls around.

El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Wayne Williams, who took office in December, said Tuesday that he is open to playing a “more active role” in city elections. His office runs all other elections, including county-coordinated ballots and general elections.

“It depends on the new mayor and city council, but I’d be surprised if this wasn’t something we looked at more of sharing services,” he said.

 His office did provide voter registration lists and signature verification for the April 5 city election.

The majority of respondents to an Organization of Westside Neighbors survey about medical marijuana believe that there is a need for the alternative drug but also that the city has an obligation to regulate the industry. Respondents favor liquor store-type laws.

OWN mailed the survey to 7,900 homes on Colorado Springs’ west side and received 171 responses by Nov. 30.

Results:

– 72 percent believe there is a need for medical marijuana

– 74 percent believe separate distances from other medical marijuana facilities, at a minimum, be equal to that of liquor store criteria

– 81 percent believe the city should notify parents of minors receiving medical marijuana

– 83 percent believe the city has an obligation and duty to properly regulate and enforce city ordinances with regard to commercial operations in mixed-use neighborhoods

– 33 percent believe current city ordinaces adequately address medical marijuana businesses and density

– 72 percent believe the city should adopt an ordinance that mirrors the El Paso County land-use regulations

– 83 percent believe standoff distrances from homes, schools and churches be at a minimum equal to that of liquor store criteria

–37 percent believe the city shoudl place a ballot issue for banning medical marijuana facilities within city limits oon the ballot for voter approval, as EL Paso County did on the Nov. 2 ballot

– 33 percent believe the city should ban medical marijuana businesses in city limits

On Dec. 15, City Council rejected stringent zoning regulations for medical marijuana, instead agreeing to a 400-foot buffer between centers and grade schools, residential child care facilities and drug and alcohol rehab centers.

Businesses are banned from residential zones, but can be allowed in industrial and office complex zones.

El Paso County still has temporary land use regulations in place for its existing medical marijuana facilities, which also restrict zoning and proximities  to certain facilities.