Cash photo from Shutterstock.

Dedicated funding now

WMATA board chair Jack Evans says Metro needs $1 billion in dedicated funding annually, of which $300 million should come from the federal government, if we’re serious about fixing Metro. (Post)  

No Metro sales tax

Virginia Senator Mark Warner supports creating a dedicated funding source for WMATA, but he’s not so keen on implementing a regional sales tax after a nasty political fight in 2002 shot down his proposal for a similar measure. (Post)  

A cause for celebration?

Metro’s attempts to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a PR campaign may not make much sense on the surface, but they fit into an overarching agency goal of improving customer engagement. (Washingtonian)  

Respect the bus driver

Metrobus operators aren’t a happy bunch right now.  2015 saw an uptick in assaults on drivers, and many say that fare evasions continue despite new automated messages that announce a minimum $1.75 fare. (WTOP)  

Architecture and aging

Many elderly people have to move to retirement communities and then to be near family, which takes away from their ability to form social bonds. Can architecture instead help people age without having to move? (WAMU)  

Build at Braddock?

Could the entrance to Braddock Road Metro become a “vibrant neighborhood square”? Metro is studying options for development, but Alexandria has a lot of development already in the works that might mean lower demand here. (WBJ)  

Mixed-use to retail

Gas station magnate Joe Mamo owns a property in Bloomingdale and has approvals for a 6-story mixed-use building with 85 housing units. But he can’t get financing, so he’s giving up and proposing retail with no housing. (WBJ)  

The benefit of city colleges

Students that attend colleges in or near urban areas have access to many more opportunities than those in rural areas and generally have better job prospects post-graduation. (Post)  

More wealthy babies

The District is in the midst of a baby boom, and households earning over $150,000 saw the biggest increase in the number of newborns. (Post)  

Driver’s ed for everyone

Starting May 1, every new driver in the District regardless of age will be required to take a course in order to get a DC license.  The course will involve 30 hours of classroom instruction and 8 hours behind the wheel. (DCist)  

And…

Rents for Class A apartments in the region rose at their fastest pace since 2010. (UrbanTurf) … A Maryland state senator wants Paypal to consider the Free State after the company said no to North Carolina. (Bethesda Beat) … Two Congressional subcommittees will hold a hearing this week to review Metro’s shutdown. (WTOP)