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On Tuesday, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) held a public hearing on its proposed budget for fiscal-year 2012, which would not raise fares, would maintain current service as well as restore a "reasonable amount" of service, if possible.

“The nationwide 2008-2009 recession had a dramatic impact on our 2009 and 2010 budgets,” GCRTA officials said in a prepared statement posted on the agency’s website. “The situation was improved in 2011 because 2010 expenditures were reduced by $30 million and the end-of-year balance was significantly improved.”

Revenue for 2011 is “on target” while expenditures remain “below budget,” they said.

The FY2012 budget includes $266.2 million in expenses — up $5.7 million from the FY2011 budget — and $255.4 million in revenue. The $10.8 million difference “will be made up from the fund balance carried forward from 2011,” officials said.

Total expenditures include $230 million in operating expenses, $20.7 million for debt service, $11.8 million in earmarked sales-tax receipts to be used for capital improvements, a $100,000 contribution to the pension fund and a $2.7 million contribution to the insurance fund.

Personnel costs are projected to increase by $10.7 million above projected 2011 costs due to wage increases and higher benefit costs.

In addition, the FY2012 budget includes an overall increase of 50 employee positions, including 35 operators, to accommodate the anticipated increase in service. The agency has been cutting positions for the past decade, falling from 3,100 positions in 2001 to 2,232 in 2011.