Citizen group supports Coolidge transit
By Joey Chenworth | Coolidge Examiner
A rumor had spread around town: The Coolidge City Council was contemplating the removal of the transit systems Cotton Express and Central Arizona Regional Transit.
This rumor wasn’t quite true. As reported in The Coolidge Examiner on April 1, the council voted March 23 on applying for federal funds through the Arizona Department of Transportation. These funds have been necessary for funding both the Coolidge-only Cotton Express and CART, which services Coolidge, Florence, Casa Grande and CAC. The grant under consideration required a 20-percent match from Coolidge, with the help of Pinal County and Florence.
The council voted 5-2 to apply for the grant, with Gary Lewis and Rob Hudelson voting against the application. This means that, presuming the federal funds come through as they have every year, the transit system is here to stay for at least an additional 12 months.
However, enough people heard the rumor, and about 20 of them showed up to the council meeting on April 13 to express their disapproval at the thought of the buses going away. Mayor Jon Thompson clarified at the beginning of the meeting what had actually transpired, which garnered some applause. But it didn’t prevent the audience from sharing their thoughts.
