Neither Pittsburgh Regional Transit nor its 11-member board were happy with the annual budget under consideration Friday because it calls for a 35% cut in service, layoffs of 38% of staff, a 25-cent fare increase to $3 and the elimination of service after 11 p.m. beginning in February.
But faced with a legal requirement to adopt a balanced budget by June 30 or risk the loss of federal grants, the board voted 8-2 with one abstention to approve the spending package and vowed to continue lobbying the state Legislature for additional funding so the cuts aren’t needed. The Legislature is supposed to approve the state budget by June 30, too, but it regularly misses that deadline because there are no consequences.
If the General Assembly eventually adopts a new budget with an increase in the state subsidy for transit, Chairwoman Jennifer Liptak said PRT can call a special board meeting to amend its budget to reduce or eliminate the proposed cuts…