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MR. MENOR: I report directly to the. Mayor. <br /> MR. SCHUTTE: Mr. Menor, what a.: e your future <br /> projections on this mass transit? Can you envision this thing <br /> continuing? .What does it look like from where you stand, <br /> right now? <br /> MR. MENOR: From where I stand, right now, I <br /> think, first of all , that the service is vitally needed and it <br /> is being used by a great number of people considering the <br /> amountC;of equipment that we have. We started from a figure of <br /> 18, 000 passengers a month to, today, where it is about 36,000 <br /> to 37,000 passengers a month. <br /> I think the biggest objection to this system <br /> would be the amount of subsidies that the County of Hawaii is <br /> paying. Which, in effect, is out of a budget of $560,000 <br /> ;Fares only cover about one-third of that amount. <br /> We are thinking in the future, and this is <br /> fact now, that the Federal Government would come in and help <br /> the county subsidize its operating expenses. A law has been <br /> passed (;in Congress and this is in process right now. Where <br /> the County of Hawaii would be eligible for up to $150, 000 in <br /> subsidies. <br /> MR. SCHUTTE: This $560;000 figure, is this <br /> a county subsidy? <br /> MR.MENOR: No, that is the total budget of <br /> the Mass Transit Agency. <br /> MR. SCHUTTE: Of this amount, how much is the <br /> actual paying public contributing? <br /> MR. MENOR: Of that amount, about $180,000. <br /> MR. SCHUTTE: Do you feel that with this <br /> federal money you would be able to take care of the expenses <br /> of operating this agency? <br /> MR. MENOR: Well, even with the federal money, <br /> I don ' t think we would be able to take care of the expenses <br /> one-hundred percent, simply because the public isnot yet, I <br /> think, ready for a fare raise, which would equalize expenses <br /> and revenue. So there would be some subsidy from the County <br /> of Hawaii yet. <br /> MR. SCHUTTE: And you are saying that there is <br /> a possibility of $150,000 from the Federal Government in <br /> subsidies. So with that in mind and with the paying public, <br /> we are still looking at subsidies of $160, 000 or maybe $180,000 <br /> from the county. <br /> MR. MENOR: That is right. <br /> MR. SCHUTTE : With this in mind, how does the <br /> future look of having to go to the council right now, or in the <br /> future and asking for this kind of dollars? <br /> - 3 - <br />