Northern Virginia transportation leaders are taking the Metro funding battle to the backyard of two Prince William County delegates who have blocked efforts to raise $50 million a year for capital improvements to the system.
Elected leaders who serve on the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission are holding a press conference this morning at the Horner Road Park & Ride Lot, one of the region’s busiest commuter lots, to rally support for a 0.25 percent sales tax increase to support Metro. The increase would affect Fairfax County, Arlington County, Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax City — not Prince William County.
Commission officials said more than 10,000 Prince William residents use the Metro system daily. They charge that Dels. L. Scott Lingamfelter and Jeff Frederick, Prince William Republicans who voted against several Metro funding measures in General Assembly that would have established the tax, are preventing the transit agency from improving service that the county essentially uses for free.
Frederick and Lingamfelter did not return calls seeking comment.
The event was originally scheduled last month, but was postponed when Lingamfelter and Frederick said the event was illegal and not “a very good use of taxpayer dollars.”
NVTC attorneys found nothing improper about the event and it was rescheduled for 6:30 a.m. today.
A commission spokeswoman said the delegates are not in touch with the concerns of residents and the organization wants to raise awareness of Metro’s funding needs. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted last month to support the creation of a dedicated funding source for Metro.
