RTA won't seek a Cuyahoga County tax increase on the November ballot.

A plan to ask voters to approve a 0.4% sales tax increase, proposed by board member Trevor Elkins, did not have any support on the board of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, which met as a committee of the whole on Tuesday, Aug. 7.

That means the transit agency will continue working toward a solution to its funding shortage but won't got to voters until at least the May 2019 ballot. The board had to decide by Wednesday, Aug. 8, to get on the ballot this November.

A decline in state aid, a general decline in Cuyahoga County sales tax collections and a federal decree that Ohio may not apply its sales tax to Medicaid managed-care organizations have left the transit agency facing a $20 million hole in 2020 that could reduce service and lay off 200 workers. RTA relies on a 1% county sales tax for a large part of its budget.

The board has held several meetings in recent weeks to discuss solutions to its financial problems. But board members appeared mixed about solutions — especially what kind of tax increase to seek and when to go to the voters.

At Tuesday's meeting, board members brought up a variety of options for raising money in addition to the sales tax increase, including a property tax increase, a city of Cleveland parking tax increase and a hope that should Democrat Richard Cordray be elected governor in November, he would increase state aid to public transit. None generated any enthusiasm with board members.

"We can't continue to hope the state will rescue us," said Elkins, who is the mayor of Newburgh Heights. "The 0.4% (increase) meets the funding gap (created by the loss of revenue) and it will allow us to set the agency back to the 2015-2016 (level of) routes and allow for some growth."

But Elkins' motion to put the tax increase on the November ballot died without getting a second.

In a statement issued after the meeting, board president Dennis Clough, the mayor of Westlake, acknowledged the need to find additional revenue to at least maintain existing service or to be able to expand service.

"The need is urgent and the clock is ticking, but we should only move forward when all the right pieces are in place," the statement read. "Much more work needs to be done to identify the possible sources of funding that will allow us to define and to deliver what the community wants and needs."

An economic impact study is underway and the agency plans to reach out to the business community, the county government, the city of Cleveland and other stakeholders before deciding how to proceed.