Latest news with #Seekings
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Some worried that federal cuts could impact CARTA, others confident funding continues
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A local organization said they are concerned about potential public transportation cuts in Washington, and how it could impact transportation programs in the Charleston area. Specifically, William Hamilton, executive director of Best Friends of Lowcountry Transit, said he is worried that CARTA could lose funding as the federal government cuts grants. 'Our outreach crew today will be working to reach people in Charleston's hospitality, food and beverage industries about the absolute importance of protecting public transit and affordable housing in the city,' he said. Hamilton and his organization walked around the downtown area talking to businesses about their concerns that federal funds could be cut, possibly as early as Tuesday. 'In Washington, they're going to attempt to pass a continuing resolution, which will effectively be the federal budget for the next several months. We have not been able to determine exactly what is in it, but we suspect that there are cuts. We do not know the depth of them, and we haven't been able to get that much information. Nancy Mace did respond to us, but we don't know what the numbers mean because we don't have context for them,' he said. Mike Seekings, chairman of the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority, or CARTA, said he's confident CARTA will be funded. 'Right now, at a time where some changes is happening at levels above us, we keep a very close eye on it. But for now, and today, and in the near future, we feel very confident that CARTA will be funded,' he said. Seekings said he spoke with CARTA staff about these concerns. 'In advance of talking to you today, I checked in with our team at about noon- and as of noon today we know of nothing coming down the pike up in Washington, DC that will affect us negatively. There is by the way a lot going on up there that will affect us positively. So, we keep an eye on that, too, with Lowcountry rapid transit on the horizon.' Hamilton says he is concerned that if there is a cut to CARTA, that cut will impact the people who can least afford it. 'Charleston has struggled with an economy that does not work for its working people for its entire history. Now we have people who cannot pay their rent because we don't pay them enough to live here anymore. They don't make enough to keep a car and park a car downtown. They don't make enough to have an apartment, much less buy a house,' said Hamilton. Chairman Seekings said the Lowcountry Rapid Transit money is being funded 50% locally and 50% by the federal government. He said they do now have the local money ready for that, and he believes federal grant money will be available fairly soon, as soon as a few months from now, once the design phase of that project is complete, adding that he feels Lowcountry Rapid Transit may become a reality sooner than later. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
16-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cumberland Council's books show 'significant weaknesses'
"Significant weaknesses" were found by auditors looking through a council's from Grant Thornton said Cumberland Council's books showed significant overspending and gaps in financial raised included that the authority had not made the savings it had planned and relied on exceptional support from government, which allowed it to borrow money or sell assets to pay for day-to-day council said it faced "unprecedented savings" and had inherited issues from former authorities. Members of the council's audit committee heard that council staff had been under pressure due to the extra work required to publish the outstanding legacy accounts of the former Copeland Council, with a subsequent drop in staff weaknesses found included in financial sustainability, governance and in improving economy, efficiency and effectiveness. The auditors made several recommendations, including that the council addressed staffing issues in the finance Seekings, the council's chief executive, said there were areas to concentrate on and monitoring measures had been put in place, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said."I am disappointed that the statutory recommendations have come through given the unprecedented situation we found ourselves in," he said. "It will hinder, not help our position."However, he said the authority would accept the recommendations and move on. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas here.
