Finger pointing takes over Metro budget meeting

WASHINGTON - Thursday was supposed to be the day Metro Board members figured out how they were going to close a $29 million budget gap in their operating budget.

Instead, it turned into a day of intense discussion and disagreement among the board.

At the beginning of the day, it appeared board members would use stimulus funds to help plug the budget gap -- a solution members from the District said would close the hole without service reductions.

Essentially, Metro would have borrowed money from its preventative maintenance budget and plugged the gap. Those maintenance funds would have then been replaced by stimulus funds.

But some board members called that plan irresponsible, saying it would only create a deeper budget hole looking forward to the next fiscal year.

"It is careless," quipped Board member Jeff McKay, who represents Fairfax County. "The elephant in the room is service cuts. That's what we are going to need to do."

It was an uncharacteristically feisty board meeting, with some pointing fingers at others, and some telling other members that they were being roadblocks to the budget process.

"There ceases to be a consensus, and that is a poor reflection on this board," said Board member Cathy Hudgins, who also represents Fairfax County.

The board eventually decided to meet again in two weeks, after examining a number of areas where revenue could be generated or saved. Then, a set of proposals will be taken to the public for a comment period.

The options being studied by local jurisdictions include:

• Making a list of bus service reductions that only impact a member's particular jurisdiction, and does not have an effect on other jurisdictions. The routes would need to be in just one jurisdiction and potential cuts could not negatively impact any other jurisdiction. Board members are also checking to see if local governments can contribute any additional revenue to help close the gap.

• Using dollars from the agency's capital budget (preventative maintenance) to plug the budget gap on the operational side. Stimulus funds would also be used in this option.

• The idea of a 10-cent across the board fare increase was also discussed for bus, rail and parking. Metro officials say a 10-cent increase would generate about $35 million for the agency closing the budget gap -- although members from D.C. said they would not support such a plan.

• Adjusting some service on the rail side was also discussed as a way to save the agency money. Board members say small adjustments - like the amount of time in between trains, or closing certain station mezzanines early - do not need to be taken out to the public for comment.

Metro is now essentially off-track when it comes to getting any potential service changes in place by the start of the next fiscal year.

Agency officials admit they will have to speed up the public hearing process, or implement any potential service changes later than first anticipated. That, in turn, could mean bigger changes are required.

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