Politics & Government

Public Transit Escapes Worst Cuts

Met Council no longer planning for fare increases, large service cuts.

St. Louis Park bus riders can breathe a little easier.

The budget that Gov. Mark Dayton signed Wednesday allows Metro Transit to avoid cutting routes and also avoid an across-the-board fare increase, .

The Metropolitan Council has canceled all public hearings to consider testimony from community members about the cuts, including one hearing scheduled for Aug. 9 at the .

Find out what's happening in St. Louis Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The council was initially set to lose $109 million in transit money—or 85 percent of the state's general fund contribution to transit for 2012-2013. With a cut that size, Met Council planned to slash or limit 130 of 146 bus routes across the Twin Cities, eliminate most suburban local and crosstown bus routes and increase fares by 25 to 50 cents per ride.

But Dayton vetoed that bill and eventually agreed with lawmakers on a plan that cuts transit money by $51.8 million for the biennium.

Find out what's happening in St. Louis Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We’re in a much better position than we were with the earlier bill, though funding challenges remain,” Metropolitan Council Spokeswoman Bonnie Kollodge said in an email. “This is good for transit, good for customers, and good for the economy.”

The Met Council will plug the remaining hole by:

  • Using $15.3 million in new transit funding from the Counties Transit Improvement Board.
  • Cutting $7.2 million in money given to suburban transit providers. The Met Council will work with these providers to preserve service.
  • Finding the remaining $29.3 million in the Met Council’s budget through administrative reductions such as attrition, temporarily using capital funds for operating expenses, temporarily using taxes levied for the Right of Way Acquisition Load Fund and dipping into savings.

Metro Transit could still make some changes or reductions in service in September as it does every quarter based on changing ridership and demographics, Metro Transit spokesman John Siqveland said in an email. The final plan for those service changes will be ready to become public in a couple of weeks, he said.


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