D.C. Is First to Officially Dedicate Cash to Metro

D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams approved a measure yesterday dedicating city tax dollars to the Metro transit system, and regional leaders used the signing ceremony to lobby Maryland and Virginia representatives to follow the District's example.

"Thank you for showing the way the rest of the region should be going," Michael Knapp, a Montgomery County Council member and the chairman of a regional transportation board, told the mayor.

The D.C. Council this year voted to dedicate 0.5 percent of city sales tax revenue to Metro -- but only if Maryland and Virginia do the same and if Congress matches the money.

An effort to establish a stable funding source for Metro failed in the Maryland legislature this year. In Richmond, the effort is on political life support.

A dedicated funding source has been the holy grail for Metro officials hoping to end the annual begging cycle that hampers long-term planning and capital investment. Since the transit authority was created in the 1960s, it has relied on money from the federal government, from state and local governments that are part of the Metro compact and from its fareboxes. Metro increased fares in 2003 and 2004 and regularly goes to local governments for money to meet its budget.

Those governments, in turn, weigh Metro's requests against other priorities, such as education. For years, Metro's leaders have appealed to the governments to provide a steady and consistent flow of money so that the transit system will not have to compete with other public needs.

As an incentive for the region's jurisdictions to act together, U.S. Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.) has said he will work to have Congress match as much as $1.5 billion for Metro if Virginia, Maryland and the District dedicate funding sources.

In this year's Virginia legislative session, transit advocates tried to persuade General Assembly members to support a proposal that would allow Fairfax and Arlington counties and Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax City to raise the sales tax in their jurisdictions by one-quarter of a percentage point to support additional Metro funding. The Virginia measure was defeated in the House during the regular session of the General Assembly but remains viable as lawmakers debate the state budget during a special session.

"Our message is: Don't come home without a solution to our region's transportation problems, including dedicated funding for Metro," said Jay Fisette (D), Arlington County Board member and chairman of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

In Maryland this year, an effort to create dedicated funding that would set aside a portion of sales tax revenue failed in the General Assembly.

"I'm embarrassed and chagrined at the lack of leadership" in Annapolis, said Knapp (D-Upcounty). "I can't figure out what polls they are reading."

He said he was confident that next year the legislature would change its mind and that Maryland would invite its neighbors to a similar bill signing ceremony.

Dan Tangherlini, Metro's chief, said the region already has a good example of working together: the Metro system itself. Now the challenge is taking the next step.

Metro operates the second-largest rail transit system and the fifth-largest bus system in the United States. The federal and state funding, which together would add $300 million a year over 10 years, would provide money for 340 rail cars and 275 buses and for station improvements, such as adding or renovating escalators and elevators.

Leaders at yesterday's bill signing said the extra money and equipment are needed simply to keep up with the system's age and with the greater demands the network faces. Twice last week, the system had some of its busiest days.

"We have no choice other than to do this,'' said D.C. Council member Carol Schwartz (R-At Large).