A possible increase in Metro bus fares may have a negative affect on student riders from the Mercer Island School District.

Due to a looming budget deficit, King Count Executive Kurt Triplett has proposed a fare increase for Metro bus riders as part of his proposed 2010 budget.

If Triplett’s proposal is approved, beginning in January of 2011, all Metro users will see a $.25 fare increase. For some areas, like Mercer Island, where the school district and Metro have created special routes and a monthly pass fare for students, the change could cause a ripple effect down the line.

Students in Mercer Island schools are able to request monthly passes from Metro, which are paid for by the district. This gives them unlimited access to the buses, which many use rather than the traditional school bus.

Currently, Metro monthly passes cost the district $27 per student. Should Triplett’s proposal pass the monthly fare would increase to $36 per student.

While the change will only help the Metro system, which has been losing money, the change will mean a greater expense to districts which can not afford more expenditures.

More information from MISD will be added as it becomes available.