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Cuts Proposed For Charm City Circulator

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Change is coming. One of the city's most popular freebies is running low on money.

Pat Warren has the proposed cuts for some routes on the Charm City Circulator.

The motto is fast, friendly and free. The Charm City Circulator is free, but it isn't cheap.

Charm City Circulator--the free bus service has four routes that help 13,000 people a day get from one place to another through the downtown area.

Most of the operating cost comes from a parking tax in city garages, but it is not enough to prevent the service from running a deficit.

"Over the years, it's accumulated some debt. We're at an $11 million deficit right now," said William Johnson, Baltimore Transportation Department.

How to make up the money? Under the proposal, the Purple Line will be expanded, but other lines will be cut back and the Banner Route will be eliminated.

Vickie Schilling would rather pay a fee than see the line eliminated.

"A while ago, they had proposed a dollar fee or something of that nature--a reduced fee that the MTA would pay--and I thought that was great because it's still cheaper any way you look at it," she said.

Schilling is one of the many regulars that use the Banner Route. It connects Fort McHenry to Key Highway, Light and Pratt streets. This particular line was funded by a federal grant related to the War of 1812 Bicentennial, but that grant has expired.

In the meantime, it has become what's considered a necessity in Locust Point, especially for senior citizens.

"I'm definitely in their corner, and I think it's important we keep in mind who our most vulnerable population is," said Councilman Eric Costello, District 11. "And I think we need to be doing everything we can to help make life easier for them."

The plan calls for other routes to be adjusted, and the hours of operation shortened.

The changes are expected to save $3 million a year.

There is no clear timetable for the changes.

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