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On Feb. 26, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA) board approved several measures aimed at addressing a $12.1 million budget deficit in fiscal-year 2010.

The measures call for increasing parking fines by $2 to cover a state courthouse fee and cutting Municipal Railway (Muni) service by 10 percent, primarily by reducing frequency on most routes and ending some service earlier. However, the board didn’t approve a proposal to increase the cost of a monthly pass for seniors, youth and disabled persons to $30. The monthly pass already is set to rise from $15 to $20 on May 1.

The Muni service reductions will result in the elimination of about 230 positions — mostly through layoffs — including more than 175 Muni operators, according to SFMTA. The service cuts and layoffs are expected to take effect May 1.

The deficit’s largest contributing factor: loss of state funding for transit operations, which cost SFMTA about $180 million the past three fiscal years, agency officials said in a prepared statement.

To overcome the shortfall, SFMTA last spring increased revenue about $52 million and reduced expenditures more than $77 million by eliminating positions and fostering “internal efficiencies,” the officials said. In November, SFMTA identified a $45 million ongoing shortfall and began to address it by reducing overtime and vendor payments, eliminating positions and laying off workers.

SFMTA’s board will continue to discuss ways to address projected budget deficits totaling $53 million for fiscal years 2011 and 2012.