The Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) Board of Directors met yesterday with members of the community to discuss possible revenue sources to make up for lost state funding. Next year's CATA budget of about $7 million faces a $300,000 deficit if steps are not taken.

CATA is considering service cuts including the A, C, F and S commuter routes, possible fare increases and increased support from the local municipalities and "private sector contract partners" such as Penn State and a few local apartment complexes.

In addition, the P Route, which shuttles riders from the center of campus to Innovation Park and continues into Bellefonte, is also under consideration for service cuts.

"This significantly affects people that I have," said Sheri Greenawalt, State College Park Apartments Property Manager. "It's not only students."

CATA Service Development Manager Eric Bernier said the section of the P Route that takes students to Innovation Park, which is partially funded by Penn State, would not be affected by service cuts. "We're having discussions with Penn State to maintain the P Route service," he said, adding that Penn State would make up the difference if state funding falls short.

Greenawalt said if CATA asked State College Park, 349 W. Clinton Ave., for increased funding, she would comply.

"We don't have a plan B," Greenawalt said. "Of course the apartment community would have to absorb it."

Joe Banks, a 55-year State College resident, said Penn State should be planning an alternative form of transportation on campus, including smaller buses. "The first cost is always expensive," he said. "These are things Penn State should be looking into."

Banks said the cost-effectiveness and flexibility of smaller buses in the CATA fleet would be more economical than the larger ones currently in use. He added smaller buses would make less noise, lower insurance costs and allow CATA to save on fuel. "[They would] still have to run big buses," he said, "but at least have a mixed fleet."

CATA Chairman John Spychalski said the company would not be able to financially support the number of additional drivers needed to operate smaller buses. He added that traffic would also increase dramatically. Other additional revenue possibilities discussed at the meeting include possible fare increases and exterior bus advertising.

Spychalski said the community has objected to exterior bus advertising in the past because of their potentially abrasive appearance. He added that a fare increase is unlikely because one was instituted recently.

Greenawalt said she was less concerned about increasing costs because of Gov. Ed Rendell's proposal to allocate about $360 million to temporarily fix the current funding situation.

CATA General Manager Hugh Mose said the commonwealth would allocate funds based on need. He said the solution would be in effect until December 2006. "We haven't even been able to meet the needs of the growing community," he said. He added that the temporary fix could lead to a more permanent overhaul of the funding situation.