New budgets for schools, MTA

The Los Angeles Unified school board unanimously adopted a $6.2 billion budget Thursday that eliminates hundreds of administrative positions, mostly from the district's downtown headquarters.Naush Boghossian in the Daily News.

Superintendent David Brewer III said his goal for the 2007-08 fiscal plan, his first, was to keep the focus on teaching while trying to make up for a $95 million shortfall and find money for his plans to reorganize and transform the district.

Meanwhile, over at the MTA:

Featuring eight more Rapid bus lines and 100 new 60-foot buses, Metro's $3.1 billion budget was approved Thursday by its board for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Sunday. Sue Doyle in the Daily News.

Sunday is also the start of fare increases on Metro's buses and rails — a hike that some groups this week unsuccessfully challenged to stall in court with a restraining order.