The state budget proposed by Democratic lawmakers would reduce the train and bus fare increases proposed by Governor Rowland, according to the Stamford Advocate. The Democrats’ spending plan, which has been approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, includes a measure to add $6 million to the governor’s $70 million budget for rail operations and $1.5 million to Rowland’s funding for bus transit, now at $75 million. These measures could reduce the rail fare hike from 15% to 7.5%, and lower the bus increase from 25% to 10%.

Rowland included the fare hikes as part of his two-year executive budget for fiscal 2004-2005. Rowland has said he will veto the Democrats’ proposal. In any case, it is possible that the state’s budget impasse, which many think will extend beyond the June 4 budget deadline, could leave fare policy unresolved. ConnDOT was expecting to finalize the increases by May 15, and begin charging higher fares in July.

Rowland’s executive budget explicitly argued the case for higher fares: "Some would argue that raising mass transit fees is counter to the idea of increasing ridership. The fact is, costs in mass transportation and elsewhere are going up substantially. There is nothing inconsistent with asking riders to pay a fair share of the operating cost increase over time." The document said state subsidies for transit would continue to increase, though the fare hike will likely alter the shares of transit operating budgets paid for by riders and the state.

Jim Cameron, vice chairman of CT’s Metro North-Shore Line East Rail Commuter Council, told the Stamford Advocate that Governor Rowland, rather than increasing fares, should be encouraging rail use as an alternative to driving in CT.

Transit advocates have long called for a dedicated transit operating fund in CT as a method of improving transit service and reducing traffic in the state. Connecticut could follow the examples of its neighbors, New York and Massachusetts.  Each of them dedicates revenues from specific taxes to help pay for mass transit operating costs.

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