Washington’s Metro: Deficits by Design

This presentation by Robert Puentes examines the unusual financial structure of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and argues that the agency’s serious budgetary challenges owe in large part to its problematic revenue base. Most notably, the Puentes finds that WMATA’s extraordinary lack of dedicated funding sources has necessitated an over-reliance on annually appropriated support that makes the agency vulnerable to perennial financial crises. He concludes by reviewing a number of potential dedicated revenue sources for WMATA that officials might consider to supplement local operating subsidies over the long term.

The metro program hosts and participates in a variety of public forums. To view a complete list of these events, please visit the metro program’s Speeches and Events page which provides copies of major speeches, PowerPoint presentations, event transcripts, and event summaries.