{"id":1319836,"date":"2020-05-07T22:44:01","date_gmt":"2020-05-08T04:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/rfta-foresees-big-losses-in-sales-tax-revenues-fares-due-to-coronavirus\/"},"modified":"2020-05-07T22:44:01","modified_gmt":"2020-05-08T04:44:01","slug":"rfta-foresees-big-losses-in-sales-tax-revenues-fares-due-to-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/rfta-foresees-big-losses-in-sales-tax-revenues-fares-due-to-coronavirus\/","title":{"rendered":"RFTA foresees big losses in sales tax revenues, fares due to coronavirus"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A woman wearing a mask sits on a RFTA bus at Rubey Park Transit Center in Aspen on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong>
Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The Roaring Fork Valley\u2019s public bus system is estimating it could lose about $6.75 million in sales tax revenue and $2.9 million in fares due to the economic collapse connected to the coronavirus crisis.<\/p>\n

The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority\u2019s preliminary financial projection shows a 26.3% loss in sales tax revenue for 2020. Sales tax is the agency\u2019s largest single revenue source.<\/p>\n

Fare revenue is expected to sink by 53.2%. RFTA has drastically reduced service to prevent large gatherings and adhere to social-distancing requirements. In addition, it has ceased collecting fares to enhance driver and passenger safety.<\/p>\n

RFTA CEO Dan Blankenship said in an email that the latest budget projections are likely to change.<\/p>\n

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