TheRide Presents Fiscal Year 2021 Budget, Welcomes Public Comment at August 20 Board Meeting

TheRide Presents Fiscal Year 2021 Budget, Welcomes Public Comment at August 20 Board Meeting

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ANN ARBOR, MI – The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide) will introduce their Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal at the August 20 board meeting. The public is encouraged to attend the online meeting and provide comments on the budget proposal.  TheRide’s 2021 fiscal year runs October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021.

The drafted Fiscal Year 2021 budget avoids deficit spending while utilizing federal CARES Act funding for COVID-19 recovery. The budget also plans for long-term financial sustainability with a balanced seven-year operating plan, however some revenue sources, particularly state funding, are uncertain due to the economic impacts of the pandemic. The proposed budget will likely change as more information about revenues becomes known.

“Our Fiscal Year 2021 budget funds priorities from our recovery plan including health and safety measures for public and employee health, maintaining essential travel needs, with gradual restoration of fixed-route and paratransit services, depending on the availability of funding,” Deputy CEO of Finance, John Metzinger said. “The Fiscal Year 2021 budget also preserves TheRide’s financial sustainability to ensure capacity to re-emerge from the pandemic.”

TheRide’s Fiscal Year 2021 draft budget proposal is available for review at: https://www.theride.org/about/performance/business-plan-budget.

Members of the public are encouraged to make comments on these documents by:

 The Fiscal Year 2021 budget will be formally adopted at the September Board of Directors Meeting.