LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Metro Council members were not too pleased with the budget that Transit Authority of River City (TARC) officials presented on Tuesday.
Some said the math isn't "mathing" and the financial challenges the transit system is facing need to be re-calculated before any funding is approved.
TARC riders like Idana Choate are bracing themselves for TARC to have less service available in January 2025.
"It bothers me because it takes away from the parents that have to get to work to provide for their children," said Choate.
This decision comes after the transit system has been facing what they call a "fiscal cliff."
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Service reductions mean some TARC drivers will lose their jobs.
"For them to actually be losing their income is going to impact them terribly," TARC rider Ruben Anthony said.
The public transit's leaders presented the budget they've been surviving on for years in front of Metro Council, sharing how they project $140 million dollars of COVID-19 funds to be exhausted by June 2025.
"I can tell you this, this is my 11th agency I've been here almost 34 years, and this is the toughest budget I've ever had to bring over here," said Ozzy Gibson, interim executive director at TARC.
Gibson said their operating budget expenses will be close to $110 million by 2025.
Without the cuts, TARC leaders said there could be a budget gap as much as $30 million by mid-2026.
"You're saying we can't make up 15% cost reduction or 20% reduction in labor, it's just not 'mathing' for me," Councilman Anthony Piagentini said.
Some council members questioned the numbers and urged TARC leaders to look for other solutions.
"I would advise that you all go back to the drawing board," said Donna Purvis, metro council member of District 5.
Gibson was asked if layoffs were absolutely going to happen. He said yes, there would probably be "somewhere between 60 as high as 80."
TARC union president Lillian Brents said at the end of the day, several families are going to be impacted.
"It's going to be a layoff, it's still funding issues even if they go back to the drawing board," said Brents.
She said it's devastating to know that some of the jobs she and her colleagues look forward to everyday will be cut soon.
The service reductions are called "Saturday plus." This means there will be less frequent service Monday through Friday.
Four routes -- 4th Street, Dixie Rapid, Broadway and Preston Highway -- as well as TARC3 will not be impacted.
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