FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 22, 2018
CONTACT
Clare Flannery
MDB Communications
cflannery@mdbcomm.com
914-659-7805
Annapolis, MD – Following today’s statements from Senate President Miller, Speaker Busch, and Governor Hogan that the Maryland Senate will amend the Maryland Metro/Transit Funding Act (HB 372) to pledge Maryland’s full $167 million funding share, the MetroNow Coalition made the following statement:
“In the last two weeks we have seen history made in the Greater Washington region, as Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland have joined in a spirit of regional cooperation to make an unprecedented commitment to our Metro system. The news today from Annapolis that the Metro/Transit Funding Act will be amended to pledge Maryland’s full $167 million share of dedicated funds, coming on the heels of full funding pledges in Virginia and Washington D.C., proves that our region can do just about anything when we work together, “ said the MetroNow Coalition, a group of regional leaders from the business, non-profit, and advocacy communities who came together at the start of this year to ensure that action was taken to put Metro —a vital component of Greater Washington’s transportation infrastructure—on a safe, smart, and sustainable path forward in 2018 and beyond.
“While the need for dedicated funds for Metro has been known for decades, a politically viable solution to provide them has always eluded us, even as Metro’s safety and reliability crisis has become a reality and burden. This year, regional leaders set aside differences and recognized that the long-term health of the Metro system is far too important to our regional community to neglect any longer. We commend the leadership in Maryland, particularly, Governor Hogan, Speaker Busch, and Senate President Miller for their commitment to providing dedicated funding for Metro at $167 million, and look forward to working with elected officials in Maryland, Virginia, and the District to build upon the regional funding commitments to institute the key reforms needed to restore safe and reliable Metro service that the Greater Washington region can rely on for years to come.”
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About the MetroNow Coalition
The MetroNow Coalition is a group of regional leaders from organizations representing businesses and non-profit advocates who have come to together to ensure that action is taken to put Metro—a vital component of Greater Washington’s transportation infrastructure—on a safe, smart, and sustainable path forward in 2018 and beyond.