By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – A St. Louis County judge says the transit agency Metro does not need to hold a public vote in order to borrow more money.
Metro wants to sell $150 million in county bonds to pay for cost overruns on the MetroLink extension project.
A citizens' group called the Public Transit Accountability Project wants referendum on that proposal.
Metro sued that group in an attempt to stop the referendum. It's leader Tom Sullivan says he'll continue to keep an eye on the agency, but he' hasn't decided whether to appeal.
They're obviously running out of money, Sullivan said. They've dug themselves in a hole so deep, I'm not sure that they're ever going to get out. They've got a pretty bleak financial future ahead of them, and they better start thinking about doing some things to inspire some public confidence, because I don't think they have much now.
But Judge Barbara Wallace ruled in Metro's favor, saying the agency may use county bonds without a public vote.
Metro's Diane Williams says despite the overruns, trains will be rolling on the new line in about a year.
We're certain that we have in this $150 million taken care of what we need to deliver this project, Williams said.
Sullivan could appeal the ruling, but says he has not yet decided on his next step.