By Liz Oakes
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FOREST PARK - City officials won't be paying the county $14,666 for bus service for disabled residents when nearby communities are paying as little as $860.

Springdale is one of seven communities in the county that have contributed to the nonmandated service for the disabled; Norwood and Lincoln Heights have said no and the rest haven't decided, according to Metro. Local governments are being asked to contribute based on the number of nonfederally-mandated trips residents make on the buses.

On Monday, Forest Park City Council decided to notify the county that it wouldn't be chipping in.

"We're not opposed to sharing some cost, but ... we don't have an extra $14,000 to pay every year," said City Manager Ray Hodges.

Hamilton County had agreed to add $100,000 last year and this year to its $315,812 contributions to the cash-strapped Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority to continue the extra service.

The authority said it hasn't decided whether communities that don't pay will face cutbacks in services.

Disabled riders and advocates say they're worried about possibly losing bus service that gets people to medical appointments, training and jobs.

"I think we all understand dollars are short and everybody's having trouble making ends meet, but we mustn't forget about the neediest in our population," said Joe Byrum, executive director of Goodwill Industries in Springdale.

E-mail loakes@enquirer.com