To the editor: The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has proposed reducing its current $750 million shortfall through a combination of fare hikes, wage freezes, reallocation of maintenance capital to operations, and infusions of cash from the District of Columbia ($200 million), Maryland ($150 million) and Virginia ($130 million).
It’s rumored that elected officials will support the relocation of teams currently competing at Capital One Arena in the District of Columbia to Potomac Yard in Alexandria, provided that Virginia produces a dedicated funding stream for Metro operations.
A quid pro quo is needed, but not this one. That’s because the arena will require $135 million to $215 million in transportation capital improvements and $2.5 million to $7.5 million for Metro operational improvements in and around Potomac Yard. The transportation outlay, plus an additional $2.8 billion in bonds and debt service, puts Virginia taxpayers on the hook for $3 billion, even before annual Metro subsidies are put on the table.
A much more reasonable quid pro quo would be to demand that the owner of Monumental Sports pay for transportation improvements around the Potomac Yard Arena in return for legislative support.
Audrey Clement, Arlington
