The Honolulu City Council Budget Committee has decided to eliminate $5 million in funding for the city's commuter ferry running between downtown Honolulu to West Oahu.

Councilman Charles Djou proposed the cut. He said yesterday that TheBoat is a nice idea, but "clearly too expensive."

Riders pay only $4 for a round trip ticket. But it costs Oahu taxpayers an additional $120 per passenger to operate the service.

TheBoat was initially launched with a federal grant.

Djou says for the upcoming fiscal year, the grant runs out and the program would have to be entirely funded by taxpayers.

He says the city needs to tighten its budget and TheBoat is beyond the community's fiscal means.

The service connecting Aloha Tower with Kalaeloa Pier began in September 2007.