As the City Council prepares to vote on Mayor Paul Soglin’s 2013 operating budget, a committee focused on fiscal policy directed its attention on financial plans for Madison Metro and the Overture Center at a meeting Tuesday.

The Overture Center discovered it would have to endure more than a 50 percent cut when Soglin unveiled his 2013 operating budget last Tuesday.

“It’s actually quite devastating,” said President and CEO of Overture Center Ted DeDee.

DeDee said the Overture Center does not know the details of where it will make cuts, but the organization will consider the expense and revenue sides of its budget. He said the expense side involves staffing and trying to find greater efficiencies in the company, and the revenue side comprises prices it charges and dates on the schedule for shows.

In order to put on additional shows or invest in rental activity, the center would have to go into a competitive mode regionally to try to fill the gaps in revenue, DeDee said.

According to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, a great amount of the city’s commitment to the Overture Center lies with its free and reduced prices for various programs. DeDee said reduced prices include anything less than $30.

The institution has 14 free and reduced-cost programs and currently draws more than 220,000 people during the course of the year, DeDee said. He said they have added some additional events to each of the programs, including “Kids of the Rotunda,” which educates children about music.

DeDee said the Overture Center is dedicated to fundraising and agreed to go out into the community and raise $2.4 million. He said despite skepticism, the organization achieved its goal, and he added the community has taken steps to develop a stronger relationship with Overture Center.

There are more than 1,700 individuals who donate to the center and more than 400 new donors who help leverage the fundraising in the community, DeDee said.

“We were very gratified with the response from the community,” DeDee said. “Our staff feels cautiously confident that this community will again answer our call for the need for funds.”

The majority of the Overture Center’s earned revenue comes from off-Broadway shows, according to DeDee. He said the Broadway budget has increased this year as a result of the addition of four more events.

City Council also contemplated funding for Madison’s busing system. Madison Metro Manager Chuck Kamp said the bus systems are allocating funds to more police officers at the South Transfer Point. He said they allocated funds based on the most police activity in a certain area.

“While cameras are very important, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have police in peak times at transfer points,” Kamp said.

The price of a public bus fare would increase from $2 to $2.25 with the new 2013 operating budget.

City Council also discussed advertisements on some of the buses.

Verveer voiced concerns with window tinting on buses, noting he has been on rides where the windows were covered with advertisements.

Matt Mikolajewski, Office of Business Resources employee, said there is an identified lack of lighting by Langdon Street, particularly the area by Mendota Court. He said the funds to ameliorate this are currently not in the budget, but the exterior residential lighting program needs to be revamped.