Students returning from spring break will soon be faced with slightly higher utility rates and different bus schedules, both results of meetings held during the University’s Finals Week.
Seeking to offset a two-year, $2.5 million budget deficit, the Lane Transit District approved schedule changes to several University area routes March 20, including changes to the campus-to-Springfield route 11 and the West-Eugene-to-campus route 78.
LTD’s board passed a package similar to what LTD administrators had been supporting for months, but made several key changes, according to spokesman Andy Vobora.
Originally, the transit company planned to scale back the last bus of the evening for all routes from 11:40 p.m. to 10:40 p.m.; after hearing public testimony supporting the evening buses, the board decided to keep late night service on weekday routes. The 78 route was also slated to be cut when LTD first proposed service reductions, but the board decided to keep a scaled-down version of the popular West Eugene route and supplement it with more campus service from the 36 route.
Vobora said students will notice the new changes starting in June, but some alterations, such as revisions to the 78 route, won’t take effect until next fall.
“There will be some fuller buses and new connections people will have to learn about,” Vobora said.
The Eugene Water and Electric Board cut electric rates March 19 but added a temporary surcharge to customer bills to pay for $40 million debt caused by EWEB’s power purchases last year on the open market. The effect is a 2.64 percent increase on residential electricity bills. Students will see May bills rise on average $2.80, EWEB spokesman Lance Robertson said.
Robertson said the utility has done its best to cope with a difficult situation.
“We’ve been able to deal with a $40 million problem with a very slight rate increase,” he said.
The board plans to use the surcharge to pay off $20 million of the debt and to use budget cuts passed the same evening to pay off the other $20 million.