PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:
September 12, 2017

Contact:
Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth
703-599-6437 (c), stewart@smartergrowth.net

CSG calls Governor Hogan’s $500 million pledge to Metro a “jumping-off place”

Washington, DC – The Coalition for Smarter Growth today thanked Maryland Governor Larry Hogan for proposing a much-needed infusion of additional funding for Metro, with the potential to be a catalyst for needed negotiation among DC, Maryland. and Virginia.

“We thank Governor Hogan for proposing $500 million over four years toward addressing Metro’s urgent capital funding needs, and we hope that his proposal will be a catalyst for urgent negotiations between the Governors of Virginia and Maryland and the Mayor of DC,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.

“However, the $500 million in additional funds needed each year from the three jurisdictions must be dedicated and bondable and continue for many years, not just four, and not only to restore the existing system but to ensure we can meet capacity needs including expansion of the Rosslyn tunnel,” said Schwartz.

“We, along with our partners in the ‘Fund it, Fix it Coalition,’ urge the Governors, Mayor, Congressional Delegation, state legislators and local elected officials to work with common purpose to find a funding solution for Metro, appropriately tailored to each jurisdiction, but dedicated and bondable,” said Schwartz. “If there wasn’t already reason enough to fix Metro, the region even has a new incentive – Amazon, which is looking to invest $5 billion and generate thousands of jobs for a second headquarters with good access to transit.”

“We urge a funding solution be adopted by the FY2019 budget season,” concluded Schwartz.

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About the Coalition for Smarter Growth: The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. smartergrowth.net

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is part of the Fund it, Fix it coalition, a partnership of 21 activist and advocacy organizations across the DC metropolitan area supporting dedicated funding for Metro. Read our statement of principles here.