The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to send Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell a letter challenging the commonwealth’s last-minute threat to withhold $50 million in funding for the transit agency unless it is given two seats on Metro’s Board of Directors.
Separately, the Republican governor reiterated his support for the change. “Especially given the safety record of Metro over the last couple years, I’m very concerned about making sure we’ve got a very, very well-run board. So I think Virginia deserves to have a representative,” he told reporters.
Virginia’s four Metro board seats are held by Northern Virginia localities, but McDonnell wants two of those local politicians to be replaced by his own appointees. He has threatened to withhold Virginia’s share of what has been pledged as a local match to federal funding that forms a 10-year, $3 billion agreement.
“[This funding] is being held hostage,” said Supervisor Jeff McKay, D-Lee, who is on the Metro board and emphatically supported sending a letter to McDonnell. McKay said the top problem facing Metro is a lack of dedicated funding, and said the state’s late threat to withhold cash is irresponsible.
“The safety of our riders is counting on this money being approved,” McKay said, arguing the board seats should stay in Northern Virginia.
Metro’s next fiscal year starts July 1, and its budget is dependent on the funding.
McKay also said he believed the state was legally obligated to provide the $50 million.
McKay’s colleague on the Metro and Fairfax boards, Hunter Mill Democrat Cathy Hudgins, said the safety of Metro passengers and employees should come before the state’s management concerns.
“Everyone expresses a concern for safety, for good management and for accountability, and the funding is necessary to having all that,” Hudgins said.
Some supervisors did not agree that the governor’s actions were “hostile,” as Board Chairwoman Sharon Bulova and others maintained.
Supervisor John Cook, R-Braddock, urged the board to consider the governor’s request and said the state planned to appoint at least one “transit expert” to the board.
Cook, with fellow Republicans Pat Herrity and Michael Frey, voted against sending the letter.
Reporters David Sherfinski and Kytja Weir contributed to this article.
