Metro News Release

For immediate release: January 6, 2005

Statement from Metro General Manager/CEO Richard A. White about the final report of the Metro Funding Panel

"The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) commends the Metro Funding Panel for the report which it issued today on WMATA funding issues. Panel Chairman Rudolph G. Penner, Panel Staff Director Mortimer L. Downey and the entire panel tackled an extremely difficult issue in a relatively short time frame and did so with dedication, thoughtfulness and competence. I also want to thank the panel’s sponsors, namely the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the Greater Washington board of Trade and the Federal City Council.

"The panel’s report recognizes that WMATA needs a funding source that is both adequate and reliable to help solve Metro’s current funding crisis. We are also pleased the panel understood that the federal government is the single largest beneficiary of Metro service in the region, and that the federal government has a large role to play in closing the funding gap we are facing. We look forward to working with the panel sponsors to educate our citizens and regional stakeholders about these critical findings, and develop strategies for implementing the panel’s recommendations." * * *

To view the final report, visit the Council of Government web site at:http://www.mwcog.org/uploads/committee-documents/pVxfXFs20050106084602.pdf.

News release issued on January 6, 2005.