WMATA-Metro Work Group 2017 Meetings

The WMATA-Metro Work Group will reconvene during the 2017 legislative session.  Work Group co-chair Delegate Erek Barron (Prince George's County) and I are pleased to announce the tentative schedule.

​Two major issues facing Metro will also be a significant focus for the session: addressing some of Metro’s budget problems and the formation of the new, federally mandated Metro Safety Commission.  

Metro is facing an immediate crisis in its operating budget. Due to falling ridership partially resultant of the ongoing SafeTrack maintenance program, Metro projects that it has a $295 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.  If not addressed, the budget shortfall will likely result in service cuts and fare increases that will further drive riders away from the system--increasing traffic and causing Metro’s revenue to drop further.  What share of funding the state is willing to contribute will be a major topic in the months ahead as we also ensure that Metro is making the most prudent use of allocated funds.  

The creation of the new Metro Safety Commision also requires action from the State.  The General Assembly needs to pass a bill--along with our WMATA Compact partners in D.C. and Virginia--to create a new independent safety oversight agency to ensure safety on the Metro system.  The creation of this new independent safety oversight agency was ordered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in late 2015, after the FTA assumed oversight of Metro.   

The following meetings and speakers are scheduled for the 2017 WMATA-Metro Work Group.  All meetings will take place at noon or when the House adjourns, whichever is earlier.

• January 27, 2017: Board of Directors’ Perspectives with Malcolm Augustine & Keturah Harley

​Malcolm Augustine and Keturah Harley represent Maryland on Metro’s Board of Directors, which determines agency policy and provides oversight for the funding, operation, and expansion of transit facilities.  The two will be sharing their thoughts on Metro’s funding needs and their insights into Metro’s operations as board members.  

• February 3, 2017: Metro Safety Commission discussion with Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) personnel

Representatives from the Maryland Department of Transportation will be speaking about the need for a new Metro Safety Commission.  While draft legislation for this commision exists, it requires passage by the Virginia General Assembly, the Council of the District of Columbia, and the Maryland General Assembly before the new commission can be formed.  MDOT staff will speak to the importance and challenges of creating this new commission.

• February 17, 2017: Safetrack update with Metro Assistant General Manager Andy Off and SafeTrack Project Manager Laura Mason

Metro Assistant General Manager Andy Off and SafeTrack Project Manager Laura  Mason will give an update on Metro’s SafeTrack initiative, which began this past spring and will continue into the new year.   

• February 24, 2017: Discussion about the WMATA Compact, Governance, and  Dedicated Funding with members of the Federal City Council - TENTATIVE

Members of the Federal City Council, a group of business stakeholders in the District of Columbia, will discuss the need for dedicated Metro funding and a need to rewrite the WMATA compact--the 1967 agreement between D.C., Maryland, and Virginia that created the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.  Members of the Federal City Council recently penned an opinion editorial in The Washington Post calling for a rewrite of the compact.    

• March 3, 2017: WMATA Audits and Investigations

Metro Inspector General's Office will speak about Metro audits and investigations.  The WMATA Inspector General is responsible for conducting audits of the agency to ensure responsible management and prudent expenditures.   Note that there are some IG-related issues in the Metro Safety Commission legislation as well.
As always, the schedule is subject to change.  Please contact Sean Emerson in my office with any questions at (301) 858-3649 or [email protected].