The Pittsburgh Regional Transit board is poised to approve a new operating budget on Friday, but that might not be the final version of the spending plan.
The agency’s finance committee last week recommended the full board approve the budget that begins July 1 at $539.3 million. That’s up slightly from the preliminary budget of $536.8 million and last year’s budget of $535.4 million.
Chief Financial Officer Donminika Brown said the increase from the preliminary budget occurred because the agency developed more precise cost estimates in several areas. But she noted the budget doesn’t include Gov. Josh Shapiro’s recommended increase in financial support for public transit, which would provide PRT with an additional $39 million a year for five years.
Shapiro, who is negotiating final budget provisions with the state Legislature, has proposed a $1.41 billion increase in the state transit subsidy over five years. He spent last week pushing the proposal in visits to Lancaster and Bucks counties, but it faces an uncertain future in the Legislature.
If the state subsidy is increased, Brown said, PRT will amend its budget later this year to reflect any increase.
The proposed capital budget of $162 million, which also was recommended for approval, is down from the preliminary budget of $175.1 million because staff determined several projects wouldn’t be ready to move forward yet. The budget includes 59 projects, including one new project the agency isn’t ready to discuss yet because it is waiting to find out it will receive federal funding.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.