Metro Budget Passes In Committee, Without Longer Weekend Waits

During last year's budget process, Metro had a nearly $200 million budget gap to fill, and everything was on the table. Ultimately, Metro enacted a 25 cent fare increase on buses and trains.

This year, the transit agency is much more financially stable. There was a budget gap to contend with, but it was much smaller than last year's. Metro was able to fill that gap with increased contributions from its jurisdictions, as well as some administrative cuts.

Metro Board Chair Cathy Hudgins says that's welcome news after the turmoil of last year

"It was a difficult budget last year in terms of the amount of increase that we placed upon our customers," she says. "And this budget is the reverse."

One proposal the board had considered to cut costs, increasing the wait time between trains on weekends, was not put into the budget approved Thursday.

The Board is scheduled to cast its final vote on the budget later this month. Changes they make to the system will take effect on July 1.