Those in favor of building the 16-mile Purple Line connecting Bethesda and New Carrollton gathered in Annapolis Monday to lobby state lawmakers. The long-talked-about light rail line is in limbo until Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan weighs in.
Tag: purple line
Purple and Red Line Join Forces in Annapolis for Transit Night
Annapolis, MD – Over 150 community members, business leaders, and elected officials gathered in support of the Purple and Red Lines in Annapolis Monday night to call on legislators to keep fighting for the two transit projects, both of which are nearly ready to begin construction and create jobs for Maryland residents. With delays from the Hogan administration posing a threat to nearly $2 billion in federal funding for the two projects combined, a broad coalition of business, community, and elected were united in their message to legislators and the Governor that neither delay nor cancellation of these critical projects is acceptable.
Purple Line goes to Hogan in May
Maryland transportation officials say Gov. Larry Hogan will get options about the future of the Purple Line in mid-May.
Hogan’s budget plan includes money for Purple Line
Gov. Larry Hogan has proposed to continue funding the Purple Line, but his administration has warned that the $2.5 billion project is under review.
Hogan praised for retaining Purple Line funding
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan was only sworn into office on Wednesday, but he is already busy at work. Reports Thursday show Hogan has retained state funding for the Purple Line in his first state budget, Montgomery Community Media reports. The 16-mile route of the proposed light-rail Purple Line between Bethesda and New Carrollton received approval in March 2014 for state authorities to begin condemning property needed.
Coalition for Smarter Growth Director praises Hogan for keeping Purple Line on track
Reports today indicate that Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has initially retained state funding for the long-planned for Purple Line in his first state budget. Based on those reports, Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz applauded the decision in the following statement:
Purple Line funding in Hogan’s budget, for now
Gov. Larry Hogan kept state funding for the Purple Line in a budget proposal he released Thursday, but said that could change.
According to reports, Hogan said he was still deciding whether to move forward with the 16-mile light rail and the related Red Line light rail project in Baltimore.
“We were pleased to see that both Purple Line and Red Line funding remaining in Governor Hogan’s first Maryland budget,” said Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz in a statement. “The Purple Line is a good deal for Maryland, good for jobs, good for the economy and good for commuters.”
It was the Coalition for Smarter Growth that, on the day after the election, tried to calm fears Hogan would halt the estimated $2.45 billion project.
During the campaign, the Republican from Anne Arundel County said he favored building highways over transit and that he was skeptical the Purple Line’s cost would be worth it. Later he said he would still consider both projects.
The state could need to provide between $350 million to $750 million for the Purple Line, which would run from New Carrollton to Bethesda and could start construction late this year. The federal government, local governments and a yet-to-be-picked private concessionaire would provide another $1.7 to $2.1 billion to get the project off the ground.
The news wasn’t as good for the geographic cost of education index, or GCEI, which provides more school funding for Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Baltimore, where the cost of living, transportation and other services are higher.
Hogan proposed cutting the GCEI by 50 percent, something Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett said could mean a $17 million reduction in school funding to the county.
During a Thursday press conference on a new human trafficking bill, Leggett said he was watching Hogan’s first budget proposal closely and that so far it “certainly indicates a very strong hit to Montgomery County.”
Hogan is trying to bridge an estimated $750 million state budget shortfall. The proposal on Thursday didn’t include all the specifics, but did include a 2 percent cut to every state agency’s budget.
There would be a 1.3 percent increase in spending for higher education and a record high of $6.1 billion on Kindergarten-Grade 12 spending. Hogan’s proposal also includes $290 million for school construction.
Leggett said he was happy to see funding for the Purple Line and Red Line “at least thus far has not been changed.”
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STATEMENT: Praise to Governor Hogan for keeping jobs-creating Purple Line on track
MARYLAND — Reports today indicate that Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has initially retained state funding for the long-planned for Purple Line in his first state budget. Based on those reports, Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz applauded the decision in the following statement: “We were pleased to see that both Purple Line and Red Line funding remaining in Governor Hogan’s first Maryland budget. The Purple Line is a good deal for Maryland, good for jobs, good for the economy and good for commuters.
Hogan Praised for Retaining Purple Line Funding
Coalition for Smarter Growth praises funding for the commuter line in Montgomery and PG counties; the Town of Chevy Chase has questions.
State Congressional leaders make their pitch to Hogan on Purple Line
Add most of Maryland’s congressional delegation to the chorus urging Governor-elect Larry Hogan not to cancel or delay construction of the Purple Line. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, along with House Representatives Elijah Cummings, Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, Donna Edwards, John Sarbanes, John Delaney and Chris Van Hollen, penned a letter to Hogan on Thursday reminding the Republican that they’ve “fought hard to ensure that federal funds are available” to build both the Purple Line and Red Line.