Regional leaders back bill to lock in long‑term capital funding for WMATA
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Summary
SB281 would provide a predictable, indexed capital grant to WMATA to sustain the system's capital program; regional partners and labor and business groups urged support and recommended an earlier funding start date to aid planning.
A coalition of regional officials, transit unions, and business groups urged the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee to advance Senate Bill 281, legislation to secure long‑term, predictable capital funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
"Approving SB281 will support a revolving bond program to sustain Metro's capital program for decades to come," Charlie Scott, a WMATA board representative, told the committee, describing language in the bill to preserve the gains from a 2018 dedicated funding deal. Clark Mercer of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) said a regional working group settled on a total funding target of $460,000,000 starting in FY2029 and that Maryland's portion would be roughly $150,000,000.
Panelists described measurable operational improvements since 2018 — higher ridership, improved reliability and safety investments — and argued that the capital program must be future‑proofed against inflation and changing post‑pandemic budgets. "If passed, SB281 would authorize Maryland to provide an annual grant of at least $150,000,000, growing 3% annually," said a representative of the Greater Washington Partnership; that witness also urged that funding begin in FY2028 to provide earlier budget certainty and allow immediate capital contracting.
Labor representatives cautioned about conditions in the bill that could withhold funding unless WMATA negotiates workforce transition agreements tied to automation. Other witnesses emphasized the economic and employment benefits of WMATA's capital program, noting thousands of Marylanders work for WMATA and that capital projects drive local jobs.
The committee received the testimony and took no recorded vote in the hearing. Supporters urged coordination with Virginia and the District of Columbia and called for timely enactment so WMATA can issue contracts and maintain the newly restored system improvements.
What happens next: Advocates asked the committee to consider advancing funding earlier than FY2029 and to continue consultation across compact jurisdictions; no vote was recorded in the hearing transcript.
