WMATA (Metro) is facing a $750 million annual operating budget shortfall in Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), starting July 1, 2024, just 10 months away. If our state and local governments in Maryland, Virginia and DC don’t step up to address the ongoing funding need, our region’s mass transit would suffer from catastrophic cuts.

At the same time, we’ve seen a lot of press attention to potential public subsidies for a new football stadium for the Washington Commanders. So, the Coalition for Smarter Growth compared the cost of closing the WMATA budget gap to recent Maryland and Virginia stadium subsidy proposals. 

Closing the WMATA budget gap: about $1.50 to $2 per rider, paid by each jurisdiction

vs.

Subsidizing the Commanders’ new stadium: $17 to $29 per game fan, all paid by a single jurisdiction (DC or MD or VA)

Read our fact sheet below for more information: