Oxnard Metrolink Service May Be Short-Lived : Transportation: The commuter trains start running Monday. But more funds are needed because federal quake aid runs out Oct. 1.

Even as Ventura County transit officials prepare to celebrate the first day of Metrolink service to Oxnard, they warned that the service may be short-lived unless the county can find funds to keep the trains running after federal earthquake aid runs out Oct. 1.

But the Ventura County Transportation Commission at its Friday meeting said it faces an even bigger Metrolink problem: finding $3 million to keep regular Metrolink service running to Simi Valley and Moorpark.

Under a special trial-period agreement with the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, the commission paid only $800,000 a year for the first two years of regular service to Moorpark and Simi Valley.

By the time that period ends next fall, the county must come up with new funding sources or be required by the state to take the money from local bus services, Transportation Commission Executive Director Ginger Gherardi told the panel.

Also, federal earthquake emergency funds run out in October for both the Oxnard service, scheduled to begin Monday, and the Camarillo station, which has been carrying commuters to Los Angeles since February.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency agreed to pay the bulk of the $1.2-million cost of running the two stations until October to help ease congestion on freeways damaged in the Jan. 17 earthquake.

“The big, ongoing issue here is long-term funding for rail in Ventura County,” Gherardi said. “We are going to have to start looking at some new sources of revenue.”

The commission could take the money from a state transit fund used mostly for buses and street maintenance throughout the county, Gherardi said. State law stipulates that if a public transit service is filling a need, it cannot be canceled if there is transit funding available, Gherardi said.

So part of the money now being set aside for buses could be used for train service, she said.

Gherardi also suggested that the commission consider putting a transit tax initiative on the November ballot.

Ventura County voters in 1990 overwhelmingly rejected a half-cent sales tax that would have raised $500 million for transportation projects.

The commissioners were reluctant to pursue either of Gherardi’s recommendations, instead directing her to seek alternative funding sources and survey residents to find out whether they would support a tax measure.

“We’re talking about putting something on the ballot when we haven’t done our homework,” said Commissioner Frank Schillo, who also serves as a city councilman in Thousand Oaks. “We’ve got to look at all the possibilities before we go looking for a tax increase.”

Commissioner Bill Davis, who is a member of the Simi Valley City Council, suggested asking the state for permission to spend a $2-million surplus in money earmarked for emergency call boxes on highways.

“I truly believe there is money out there that we can get to,” Davis said. “There are ways to do this without cutting into the bus service or taxing the citizens.”

Commissioner Paul Lawrason, the mayor of Moorpark, said he is adamantly opposed to dipping into bus funds to pay for Metrolink.

“That money should not be touched,” Lawrason said. “There are a lot of good alternatives.”

Gherardi agreed to seek other funding sources but warned the commissioners the outlook was grim.

“I need to tell you the alternatives are very limited,” Gherardi said. “We may be able to push this off for a year or so, but eventually we are going to have to deal with it.”

FYI

Metrolink trains will leave from the Oxnard Transit Center, 200 E. 4th St. near Oxnard Boulevard, Mondays through Fridays at 5:31 a.m. and 6:21 a.m., and return at 6 p.m. and 7:14 p.m. Trains will make nine stops on the 1 1/2-hour trip to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. A round-trip ticket to Burbank costs $12, and to Los Angeles $14. A monthly pass to Burbank is $176 and $208 to Los Angeles. For more information, call (800) 438-1112 or (800) 371-LINK.