Metro’s Board of directors took its first in-depth look Thursday at fare increase proposals put forward by General Manager Richard Sarles.

Sarles’ proposed budget for fiscal year 2013 would raise rail fares by 5 percent for most riders.

It would also introduce a flat fare for rail riders who use paper tickets, setting a $4 fare for off-peak hours, and a $6 fare for paper tickets during peak hours.

After Thursday’s finance committee meeting, federally appointed board member Mortimer Downey says he’s supportive of most of the fare increases — but he says the flat paper ticket fees would be asking occasional riders to pay the highest fees in the entire system.

“If I were faced with that choice, I would say, ‘How much is a cab?’” Downey says.

Sarles $1.6 billion budget proposal would allow the system to hire more than 1000 new people – a third of whom will help Metro get ready for the opening of the new Silver Line to Tysons corner in two years.

Metro’s customers seem to have mixed feelings about how much more they should have to pay.

Doug Hunter says this isn’t the first rate increase he’s seen, and since Metro isn’t getting enough support from local governments, he’s happy to pay.

“Service isn’t great sometimes, but it’s the best thing we got — the only thing we got,” he says.

Stephanie Westbrook disagrees.

“Lot more voices need to be heard about this, because that increase is obnoxious,” she says.

Westbrook and other customers will get a chance to weigh in on the proposal — public hearings are scheduled for late February.