Metro approved yesterday an across-the-board fare increase — the first in more than a decade.

The first increases happen this July 1, when the base fare of $1.25 will stay the same, but the day pass’ll go up from the current $3 to $5. Costs of weekly and monthly passes’ll go up too.

More increases’ll happen in about 2 years, on July 1, 2009. The base price’ll go up to $1.50, the day pass to $6, and weekly / month passes going up too.

The approved fare increases are a compromise of sorts between the Metro board — which had initially proposed ridiculously high fare hikes — and LA Mayor Villaraigosa — who proposed minimal increases.

LA Times columnist Steve Lopez opines that the real problem — flat federal and state funding for public transportation while operating costs go up — isn’t getting fixed: “The MTA’s compromise — a convoluted and constantly changing rate hike of roughly 50% over the next several years — wasn’t a win for anyone.

Lopez calls for “bold, creative leadership,” and offers some creative solutions that I’d like to see instituted — increasing the 18-cent federal gas tax, for ex, or mandating “that large companies offer transit vouchers to employees and eliminate free parking.”

The most effective way to start exploring these solutions? I’m guessing pushing our state and federal-level representatives is the place to start…. Are any of our lawmakers currently pushing public-transport friendly legislation?

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