ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — RTS officials and local state lawmakers are calling for more public transit funding in this year’s state budget.

RTS wants at least a 20% bump in funding and new revenue sources to help the transit system grow.

Legislators discussed investing in new revenue streams to fund public transit saying the current areas they get the funding from haven’t seen much growth in recent years.

“We’re investing in some new more predictable growth revenue streams to help create a line of funding moving into the future,” Assemblymember Jen Lunsford said. “Many people don’t realize that our transportation funding comes from lines of revenue in things like oil and gas, long distance telephone lines, things that aren’t necessarily growing any longer. So, finding new revenue streams that will grow into the future is really important and we took a big step in that direction this year.”

Two key takeaways from members of the legislature who spoke today include public transportation being a tool to combat poverty in our community and arguing increased public transportation will reduce emissions coming from the city of Rochester.