EVERETT — Community Transit has approved a $208.7 million budget for 2016 that reflects new service and capital projects. The budget breaks down into a $115.8 million operating budget, plus about $26 million the agency spends on Sound Transit routes, and a $66.3 million capital projects plan.
The operating budget will maintain the 24,000 additional hours of service that was added in 2015, said spokesman Martin Munguia. In June Community Transit restored Sunday services and in September the agency bulked up its commuter routes that run to Seattle.
The 2016 budget does not include the agency’s plans to boost local service due to the passage of Proposition 1 in the November elections, which will raise sales taxes by 0.3 percent. The agency will need to amend the budget in June 2016 to reflect those new tax revenues and expanded services.
The capital plan includes money to upgrade the agency’s radio system, design and possibly start construction on a new Mukilteo Park &Ride lot, and to purchase 18 replacement buses, 45 replacement vanpool vans, 20 additional vanpool vans and 11 replacement DART paratransit vehicles.
The vehicle purchases are largely funded by state and federal grants.
The complete budget is available online at communitytransit.org/budget.
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