The state of South Carolina will not be the only government entity to suffer from falling federal and local funding in the coming year.
The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority submitted a revised budget at the Charleston County Council’s Sept. 30 meeting and indicated what it would take to adjust to lower anticipated revenue.
Howard Chapman, CARTA’s executive director, told the council’s finance committee that the authority has suffered reductions in sales tax revenues in recent years.
Last year, the decline was made up with federal grants. When CARTA prepared its budget for 2010-2011 earlier this year, it anticipated reductions in grants and fare box revenues, as well as sales tax receipts.
However, the authority was overly optimistic in expectations and consequently was forced to revise its budget numbers. CARTA is now projecting revenues of $18.54 million, an 8 percent decrease from its earlier projection.
To offset the greater-than-anticipated decline in revenue, CARTA plans to pass the anticipated cost increase in health insurance to employees and to make changes in bus schedules, including the elimination of some routes. For information on proposed route changes and closures, click here.
Warwick Jones is a resident of Charleston and has been involved with a number of area organizations, including the Charleston County Greenbelt Advisory Board and the Preservation Society of Charleston