The Student Services Finance Committee approved the budget for Associated Students of Madison's student bus pass service Thursday.
The committee approved the bus pass program at $4,031,400, with nine votes in favor and one member abstaining.
Costing students $55 per semester, Madison Metro funding covers ASM's Unlimited Ride Student Bus Pass Program, campus-wide bus service routes—including SAFEride—and SAFEcab funding.
""I think the budget is fiscally responsible, and I wouldn't change it,"" Rep. Sarah Neibart said.
However, Neibart said she had wondered about increasing the funds allocated to the campus SAFEcab program.
Although Neibart did not think an increase made sense this year, she and Rep. Peter Lorenz discussed the possibility of researching student interest in augmenting or reworking the current SAFEcab system.
Madison Metro's Margaret Bergamini also announced the bus service's plan to hold a public hearing to discuss the arrangement of campus bus routes.
Bergamini said although Madison Metro has not finalized the plan, it could include reevaluating bus routes to reflect changing housing patterns, eliminating 80-81 route duplication and expanding Route 85 hours.
The Madison Metro public hearing will be held Tuesday, April 26 at 7 p.m. at Union South.
The committee also voted to send an official warning letter and request a letter of apology from the Student Leadership Program after the group failed to include an ASM disclaimer on a recent Badger Herald advertisement.
Manes also announced plans to introduce legislation in ASM to give SSFC the duties of allocating grants and space that Student Council currently performs.
SSFC's next meeting will be Monday.
