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Recently, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) board adopted a $3.8 billion budget for fiscal-year 2010-11.

The spending plan represents a $47 million cut from the FY2009-10 budget, but still includes funding for various improvements, including transit projects, said LACMTA officials in a prepared statement.

Projects largely are being funded with federal stimulus money and a new transit sales tax, officials said.

For the second year in a row, LACMTA’s budget proposes no wage increase, but the agency is negotiating new contracts with some of its major labor unions this spring.

The agency had faced a $250 million operating deficit, but balanced the budget by cutting administrative costs and eliminating 20 percent of LACMTA’s non-contract staff, the equivalent of 240 full-time positions.

In addition, the budget reflects a fare hike that takes effect July 1. The cash fare will increase 25 cents to $1.50; day pass will increase by $1 to $6; weekly pass will rise $3 to $20; and monthly pass will go up $13 to $75.

In the coming fiscal year, LACMTA plans to purchase new rail cars, continue construction funding for the Expo light-rail line from downtown Los Angeles to Culver City and expand bus services.