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Late last week, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) board passed a $642.4 million interim budget for fiscal-year 2010, which begins July 1. However, the budget still includes a $22 million deficit.

The spending plan calls for eliminating 100 positions, mostly through attrition; reducing headways on nights and weekends from 15 minutes to 20 minutes; moving up a scheduled January 2010 fare increase to July 2009 and increasing base fares from $1.50 to $1.75; raising the surcharge on trips to and from San Francisco International Airport from $1.50 to $4; and expanding a $1 per day parking program to eight more stations.

BART will update the budget after labor negotiations have been completed to incorporate the new contracts’ financial impacts. The agency currently is negotiating with all of its labor unions; agreements are set to expire June 30. BART is proposing that both union and non-union employees cover more of the cost of their benefits and pensions. The agency also has proposed eliminating contract language that limits the agency’s right to improve productivity by changing outdated work rules, BART said.