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Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit (HART) Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Grabauskas has proposed a 7 percent reduction in the agency’s 2013 operating budget.

The proposal would trim spending by about $1.57 million, resulting in an operating budget of $21.3 million, HART officials said in a prepared statement. Reductions include $300,000 because of to a delay in future hiring; $128,250 in fringe benefits tied to the hiring delay; $21,000 in travel expenses; $1.05 million in debt service; and $75,102 in scheduled reimbursements associated with other cost reductions.

“HART will continue to look for additional ways to be fiscally prudent and to deliver Oahu’s rail system on time and on budget,” said Grabauskas, referring to the 20-mile elevated transit-rail system under construction from East Kapolei to Ala Moana that’s slated to open in 2019. HART oversees the Honolulu Rail Transit project.