C-Tran bottom line for new budget improves

The C-Tran Board of Directors on Tuesday approved a change to its two-year budget that will boost the agency’s bottom line by nearly $1 million.

C-Tran expects to bring in about $2.2 million more in revenue than what was predicted when its 2013-14 biennial budget was adopted. That’s driven largely by higher-than-expected sales tax receipts. The agency’s expenses are expected to come in about $1.5 million higher than anticipated, still leaving a net income of about $700,000.

An additional transfer from C-Tran’s capital expenses fund brings the total budget change to $959,000 on the plus side, said administrative services director Diane O’Regan. C-Tran’s current two-year budget, including all revenues, is about $98 million.

The extra money will go into C-Tran’s uncommitted cash balance, O’Regan said.

Among the extra expenses were additional staff costs for paratransit service. C-Van, C-Tran’s demand-based service for disabled riders, experienced its highest-ever ridership in 2013. C-Tran has hired additional drivers to keep up.

C-Tran will also save an estimated $204,000 in staff costs because Washington pulled out of the Columbia River Crossing project last year. A C-Tran project manager position was let go, and another staff member was reassigned.

At the beginning of Tuesday’s meeting, Clark County Commissioner Steve Stuart was named C-Tran board chair for 2014. Stuart served as vice chair in 2013. Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt was picked as the board’s new vice chair.