Advocates say fares, jurisdictional contributions both too low

Tonight at 5:30 pm is the budget hearing at WMATA HQ, 600 5th St NW. Please sign up to speak if you can attend, or submit written comments, at public-hearing-testimony@wmata.com.

Transit First! issued a statement opposing the service cuts in Option 1 and recommending a mix of fare increases and preventative maintenance to close the FY2010 budget gap.

MetroRiders.Org and Richard Layman specifically support option 4 (a 10¢ fare surcharge and $6.4 million from capital to operating), which I also recommended.

Richard notes that fares have declined in real terms in recent decades:

I moved to the city in 1987. At that time, city bus fares were 75 cents and the base fare on the Metrorail system was 85 cents.

In constant dollar terms, if the fares had risen at the level of inflation, in 2009, the bus fare would have been $1.42 (it is $1.35) and the base fare on the Metrorail system would be $1.62 (at off-peak it is $1.35 and $1.65 during peak hours of service).

In short, while WMATA’s personnel, maintenance, and energy costs have increased and the service profile was expanded (the Green Line opened, and stations were added to the system on the blue line in Maryland as well as the infill station at New York Avenue) throughout this period, fares have remained relatively constant, but actually are lower in 2010 than they were in 1987.

It should be no surprise that the budget is constantly under stress.

MRO’s Kevin Moore writes that “there should have been an Option 5” to raise fares enough to cover not only the $4 million in service cuts but the $16 million to avoid transferring capital funds to operating expenses for the remainder of 2010.

MRO and Transit First are also disappointed that jurisdictions can’t contribute more, and moreover, that there’s no public discussion of why not. At the last Riders’ Advisory Council meeting, presumptive WMATA Board Chair Peter Benjamin said that Maryland is already doing Metro a huge favor by keeping its contribution constant as it slashes all other spending. However, that hasn’t been a more public discussion and riders want to hear this directly from state and District leaders, not secondhand.

Similarly, the Board’s choice of four options took “off the table” without any opportunity for public debate whether WMATA’s Contributing Jurisdictions should be urged to help cover part of this $40 million budget gap — or at least to respond in a transparent process why they can’t afford to meet passengers part way in closing the gap.

Until the recent appointment of Federal members to the WMATA Board, past Board members — as here — just accepted in silence and secrecy the funding limits established by the Contributing Jurisdictions that appointed them — and that could replace them — without any option for transparency, public comment and debate. We hope the new Federal members of the WMATA Board will not tolerate those backroom decisions between the Board and the Contributing Jurisdictions with no transparency as to why those jurisdictions can’t help solve WMATA’s

critical budget problems.

Yes, all State and local governments have severe budget problems but so do individual Metro riders. These governments must do their utmost to preserve and strengthen our Metrorail and Metrobus system. Our regional transit system is essential for economically healthy communities, a clean environment, and keeping transportation affordable — objectives of the Contributing Jurisdictions as well.