CARTA Executive Director Tom Dugan said Thursday the transit agency plans to raise bus fares by 20 percent.

Despite that added income, he said CARTA needs significantly higher support from the city and county.

He said if cutting services becomes necessary that the free downtown electric shuttle would be a likely target.

Mr. Dugan said, "I have put 15 years of my life into the shuttle, but it is more of a luxury."

CARTA was among the agencies appearing before the City Council and County Commission at budget hearings.

CARTA is asking that the city go from $3.7 million to $4.2 million and the county from $100,200 to $218,900.

City Councilman Manny Rico said, "Many of my constituents depend on the bus to get to work, to the grocery and to the doctor. Let's try to fund this."

Mr. Dugan said public hearings will be held on the fare increase. He said final action on the increase would be by the CARTA board in June.

He noted that fares were already raised by eight percent at the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, which is owned by CARTA.

Mr. Dugan said other transit systems get much more funding from local governments. He said the Knoxville system gets $7.2 million compared to the $3.7 million here.

Barry Bennett of the Regional Planning Agency also cited a dire funding situation. He said the office is already low on workers and stands to lose more staffers despite a growing workload.

The RPA is asking the city to go from $942,817 to $1,139,000 and the county from $920,195 to $1,139,000.

The Chamber is asking the same $450,000 from each government for economic development, and requesting the county fund $38,200 in capital items for the Business Development Center on Manufacturers Road.

Tom Edd Wilson, Chamber CEO, also asked $75,000 each for marketing the Enterprise South Industrial Park.

He said six companies are currently considering locating at Enterprise South. He said together they represent $3 billion in development and 4,000 jobs.

Other requests:

Regional Council of Governments county $66,579 to $67,581 and city $31,111 to $36,038
Air Pollution Control same $188,548 from the county and same $270,820 from the city
Bicentennial Library each from $2.48 million to $3 million as well as a capital request of $3 million each
Scenic Cities Beautiful Commission same $22,888
Allied Arts county $150,000 to $155,000 city $255,000 to $260,000
WTCI Channel 45 county $30,000 to $100,000 city $60,000 to $100,000
Chattanooga History Center each $28,000 to $42,000
Urban League same $50,000 each
Bessie Smith Hall/African American Museum county $64,000 to $75,000 city same $70,000