Transit fee hike on the table

In addition to recent tuition hikes, students might have to pay more just to get around campus.

The Student Fee Audit Committee met on Monday to discuss a proposed $23.50 increase to the student transit fee, which would bring the fee to $145.74.

The committee decided to postpone its decision until the Thursday meeting to gather more information.

Local and regional transit fees account for most of the increase at $22.27. But the rest of the increase goes to fund P2P and Safe Ride services.

Jeff McCracken, chief of UNC police, said the increase is part of the public safety department’s five-year plan to reduce parking subsidies.

“Parking has been subsidizing transportation by about $1.5 million annually,” he said.

With the five-year plan, McCracken said this amount would be reduced by $100,000 per year.

Cheryl Stout, assistant director for parking services, said the current parking system can no longer subsidize transit, especially given rising operation costs.

“Daytime permit holders really bear the brunt of the development plan with significant increases every year,” she said. “We’re trying to find a fair and equitable way to distribute costs.”

McCracken said the plan proposes an average student transit fee increase of $14 per year. Each year, the increase stipulated in the plan must be approved.

Last year, the committee only approved $8.74 of the requested $14.50 student transit fee increase.

McCracken said there were no observable changes in transit because DPS was able to cover the cost — but it will not be able to do so in the future.

This year’s proposed fee increased to include the amount that was previously denied.

“We’re trying to recuperate the amount that was not approved, as well as the part that was already in the plan,” he said.

Students account for 80 percent of the total ridership of Chapel Hill transportation, but before the five-year plan, student transit fees only covered about 29 percent of total costs, McCracken said.

The plan aims to increase the local and regional student transit fee to $144.35 by the 2015-16 school year. This will raise student contribution to 41.5 percent of total costs.

Student body treasurer and audit committee member Shrija Ghosh said she recognizes the need to increase the fee because students are the heaviest users of the transit system.

“It’s kind of unfair to place so much of the burden on the town,” she said.

“If the fee doesn’t get passed, Chapel Hill will have reduced services, and I don’t think that’s something that is good for students.”

Members of the committee expressed concern about the fee because there are no tangible benefits to be seen by the increase.

However, they said they understand there are not many alternative sources of revenue.

Contact the desk editor at university@dailytarheel.com.