Montgomery County Council members gave an initial nod to increasing Ride On fares by $10 a month, but delayed action on a measure that would raise more than $2 million in parking fees in Bethesda and Silver Spring. The council’s transportation committee voted unanimously Thursday to increase the cost of monthly Ride On passes from $30 to $40 by July 1, which would generate roughly $417,000 in the first year. The increase is expected to contribute to a 6 percent reduction in ridership.
Councilman Hans Riemer, D-at-large, said the price increase would hit the bus system’s best customers the hardest.
“Over time we might want to consider an income-based subsidy,” he said. “What this is, is just a [frequent] rider subsidy and I’m not sure that’s really in our interest.”
The committee’s recommendation, which now goes to the full council, is $5 less than what County Executive Ike Leggett had proposed.
Leggett also proposed raising parking rates in Bethesda and Silver Spring by 10 cents an hour. He would increase monthly parking rates from $120 to $140 in Bethesda and from $95 to $113 in Silver Spring, and begin charging motorists for parking in Bethesda on Saturdays.
Businesses in the affected jurisdictions say the rate increases would hurt commerce.
“There are a lot of pressures on businesses in both Bethesda and Silver Spring,” said council budget adviser Glenn Orlin. Many of the areas’ businesses subsidize employee parking — making any change in long-term rates especially costly, he said. Despite his misgivings, Orlin urged the committee to recommend Leggett’s proposals.
“I believe that these are important things to implement now,” Orlin said. “It’s really critical that revenue get infused into the system.”
Councilman Roger Berliner, D-Bethesda, said he’s skeptical that the parking districts need the money more than the businesses do.
“At this moment in time we’ve got a business community that’s saying, ‘Oh my God, please, are you kidding me — You are going to do this to me now?'” he said.
The committee is scheduled to revisit the issue May 4.
