WASHINGTON 鈥斅燤etro鈥檚 general manager wants to raise fares, cut service and get some money from taxpayers, but the District would like the region鈥檚 taxpayers to contribute even more.
鈥淭he District of Columbia 鈥� this is no surprise 鈥� is willing to pay more from its jurisdictional contribution to avoid fare increases, some service cuts, layoffs, and certainly the capital money used to balance our operating budget,鈥� Metro Board Chairman Jack Evans, who is also a D.C councilmember, said Thursday during the first formal discussion of Paul Wiedefeld鈥檚 budget proposal for the year that begins July 1, 2017.
He got cheers from a number of Metro workers in the room. Their union is in contentious contract talks with the transit agency.
鈥淧ublic transportation is like school, police, et cetera. It is not a business, and it鈥檚 not a luxury. It鈥檚 a necessity for people. And just as all of us pay for schools 鈥� most of us don鈥檛 have children in the schools, but we pay for them because we think it鈥檚 important and it needs to be done,鈥� said Evans, who chairs the D.C. Council鈥檚 Committee on Finance and Revenue.
鈥淢ost of us don鈥檛 ride public transportation, but we pay for it because it鈥檚 a critical element in our region. That鈥檚 why the region should pay for this, not [just] the riders who ride it. That would be akin to saying 鈥� ‘Only the parents who have the children in the schools should pay for the schools.鈥� It鈥檚 ridiculous,鈥� he added.
Outside the District, he is not finding much public support for his stance on the Metro board or among state lawmakers.
Michael Goldman, who represents Maryland on the Metro Board, said he generally supports Wiedefeld鈥檚 budget proposal, which would cut scheduled train frequencies, raise bus and rail fares and ask for an increase of about $130 million spread across the contributing jurisdictions.
鈥淚 think the concept of shared sacrifice or shared pain among all the stakeholders 鈥斅爎iders, workforce, funding jurisdictions 鈥斅爄s necessary to close the gap,鈥� Goldman said, even if he might end up supporting tweaks to some of the details.
Among questions that could come up as the formal budget document is finalized are the equity issues that surround the proposed increase in bus fares 鈥斅爈arger, as a percentage, than that proposed for rail fares.
Metro is looking to raise money in part because some costs are rising, but a sharp decline in ridership is another major contributing factor.
鈥淧retty discouraging in terms of ridership and revenue as well as in terms of additional expenses,鈥� Goldman said of the calculations for July, August and September.
District Department of Transportation Director and Metro Board member Leif 聽Dormsjo described the numbers as 鈥渂leak鈥� and suggested Metro could end up with a $50 million hole in its current budget year, given how far ridership has fallen below Metro鈥檚 original projections.
鈥淭he second shoe is going to drop,鈥� Dormsjo said.
Metro鈥檚 Chief Financial Officer Dennis Anosike said the agency is watching ridership and revenue numbers for the current quarter, and then may suggest any necessary changes.
