Kaine Says Metro Funding Measure is Not Dead

WASHINGTON -- Funding for Metro will be part of the final negotiations with the Virginia legislature, Gov. Tim Kaine said on WTOP's Ask the Governor program Tuesday.

Kaine's comments came less than an hour after the Virginia House Finance Committee killed a bill that would have raised millions of dollars in northern Virginia for mass transit. That bill would have let five northern Virginia localities raise the sales tax to give the transit system a dedicated funding source.

Even though the committee killed Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple's bill 10-7, Kaine said the issue isn't dead yet.

"We're going to be talking about it a lot in the next 10 days to two weeks," Kaine said.

Virginia, Maryland and D.C. must commit $150 million per year for Metro to secure $1.5 billion in federal money for Metro. Metro is the only transit system in the nation that does not have a dedicated source of funding.

The vote is the second defeat in a week for the legislation. The five jurisdictions that sought the quarter-penny tax increase are Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church.

"Dedicated funding for Metro is the top transportation priority for all of the regional groups in northern Virginia," Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly has said.

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