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Yesterday, Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) board approved a $1.5 billion budget for fiscal-year 2012 that provides support for the opening of the first section of the Orange Line light-rail project to Irving, Texas, in July 2012.

In addition, the budget will prepare the agency for additional rail expansions to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport and Rowlett later in the year, DART officials said in a prepared statement.

The budget calls for $433.5 million in operating expenses, $572 million in capital and non-operating expenses, and $147.7 million in net debt service.

The budget also takes into consideration the impact of flat sales tax receipts. As a result, the budget includes a workforce reduction, DART officials said.

“Although DART is projecting FY2011 sales tax receipts to be ahead of budget, additional staff positions will have to be cut. While some of those positions are vacant and will not be filled, approximately 35 full-time employees will lose their jobs over the next several weeks,” they said. “The cost reduction steps are a result of higher operating costs and lower long-term sales tax revenue projections.”

Higher operating expenses include the rising cost of employee health care and costs associated with preparing for the opening of the Orange Line from the Irving Convention Center to the future Belt Line Station, and Blue Line extension from Garland to Rowlett in December 2012, DART officials said.

In addition to approving the budget, the board also approved an updated 20-year financial plan for agency operations and expansion. Included in the plan is a Blue Line light-rail extension from Ledbetter Station to the University of North Texas-Dallas campus and a second light-rail alignment in downtown Dallas.