Dedicated Funding for WMATA is a Must!
Once again, there are widespread calls to establish sustainable funding for the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority. WMATA and the Compact partners are faced with what Metro has estimated is a $750 million budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year. However, this stated budget gap did not appear out of thin air. Rather, it is a symptom of a long term problem plaguing the system - a lack of dedicated and sustainable funding. Metro is integral to the economy and everyday life of Southern Maryland. Although the state of Maryland faces a transportation budget shortfall of its own, addressing future funding of Metro will provide certainty for Marylanders and businesses, and ensure the continual success of the region of the state.
WMATA is the only major transit authority in the U.S. that does not have a dedicated funding stream. Like the Sword of Damocles, a lack of dedicated funding has hung over WMATA since the first Metrorail train ran in the early 1970s. Now, with the budget crisis it seems the sword has dangled lower and lower. One fact is unmistakably clear: if assertive action is not taken soon by the compact members, the sword will fall, causing WMATA to fail.
As the Union representing thousands of frontline WMATA workers, Local 689 is committed to partnering with the Compact and stakeholders to devise a solution. We all need to look ahead to how we want the transit system to be for future generations and we need to think big. Immediate action such drastically slashing service may appear to alleviate the budget gap but it will have horrendous long-term consequences. So will cutting workers’ well-earned and deserved healthcare and pension benefits. According to an actuarial report issued for Fiscal Year 2021 and 2022, WMATA’s pension system is 81% funded, which makes it one of the best - if not the best - in the country. Pension costs do not drastically contribute to the unfunded operations for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 - slashing the contributions would have a minimal budget effect. More importantly, cutting pensions and healthcare coverage is stealing from employees who stood up and stayed on the job to help keep the region moving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of Local 689’s members caught COVID-19 multiple times and sadly, several passed away due to the virus. In the pandemic, they were hailed as heroes. They shouldn’t now be treated as zeros in order to balance the books.
Policymakers should resist the temptation to reduce benefits for its employees and slash service and instead focus on real solutions that will not harm the future quality of the system. Metro plays a critical role in the region for both everyday travel and special events. While the DMV area is unique in its position and status in the country, the problems WMATA face are not. We can look to other regions in the country for solutions. Dedicated funding is already the case in many transit authorities including Austin, Boston, Chicago, and New York. Dedicated funding sources are common because they work. It defies all logic that WMATA has been providing service to the riding public for more than 50 years without one. Through generous assistance from its Compact partners, including the federal government, WMATA has managed to provide transportation services to the region. Without a source of dedicated funding, WMATA’s days of providing the same level of service are numbered.
