Cuts in federal funding will alter Cy-Ride services and may prompt an increase in allocated student fees, said Dan Mangan, Government of the Student Body president.

Mangan’s remarks came at an open forum held last week in the Maintenance Shop.

Bob Bourne, director of Cy-Ride, said of Cy-Ride’s total annual budget of $3 million, federal funding provides $450,000. The U.S. House and Senate agreed to cut funding by about 17 percent this year. If cuts continue at this rate, all funding would be phased out in six years.

Bourne said Cy-Ride will adopt a new budget by Jan. 1, 1996 and then try to secure additional funds form the city, GSB and the university.

Cy-Ride is funded by ISU student fees, Ames property taxes, the university’s general fund allocation, rider fairs and federal contributions.

Student fees, allocated by GSB, contribute $15 per student each semester to Cy-Ride. Mangan said in order to maintain current Cy-Ride services, this allocation would have to increase to $28 per student in the next five years.

“We don’t see it as an option to double student fees,” Mangan said. “We need to find a balance. Certainly there will be an increase in student fees to some degree.”

GSB officials hope to keep the increase at $1.50 or below, but Mangan said there may also be a significant change in Cy-Ride services.

Mangan listed some possibilities for change including cutting the Eisenhower Route, ending weekend or vacation service or eliminating Moonlight Express.

“Our main goal is not to get everybody excited that we’re going to take every bus off the street,” Mangan said.

David Schoof, GSB director of traffic and transport, said unless GSB reallocates funds, Moonlight Express, which provides free rides Friday and Saturday nights from 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., will end in April. Schoof said: “The whole idea behind Moonlight Express is to get drunk people home safe.” He said it would be better to save money rather than put money into a free taxi ride home.

Mangan said the decision about what to cut is a matter of priorities.

“Maintaining excellent service on weekdays is a high priority. Ferrying around drunk people is a low priority,” Mangan said. “How much should we ask students to pay for people who are irresponsible enough to go out and get themselves drunk and not have a ride home?”