Why not use a MOSFET instead of a BJT?
A mosfet requires usually a fair bit more gate voltage than the transistor ~0.7V so that's an immediate advantage. For a crude N-fet switch / emitter follower it also means that you've got that same ~0.7V voltage drop over the transistor instead of the mosfet >2V. 

BJT is a current-driven device so the base will drain the line charge by itself even if there is no pull down/up resistor. Transistor base is also not bothered at all by a high voltage drive signal as long as you have a suitable series resitor in base. A mosfet will fizz if you connect e.g. 48V signal to the gate. Beware of the reverse voltage rating thought.

The transistor base current on the other hand is a source of many headaches if you are using a transistor as an inverter. That 60µA current is perfectly fine for lighting up a signal LED for example..