Transform Maryland Transportation Coalition Statement on Proposed Transit Funding Cuts
December 14, 2023
While Governor Moore and Lieutenant Governor Miller were campaigning, they promised to “build an efficient and equitable transportation system that unharnesses economic growth in our region, drives billions in new investment, protects our environment and our neighbors, and connects people with employers.” They indicated that, in direct contrast to former Governor Hogan's actions, they would ardently fight for public transportation and active transportation and finally give transit the high priority that it deserves. Thus, we are extremely disappointed that instead of pivoting toward better and more transit, the Moore-Miller administration is now embarking on an across-the-modes uniform 8% cut that clearly hits transit the most and includes a 40% operating funding cut to locally operated transit systems. That kind of unfocused savings program is not appropriate given the very different needs and uneven equity and environmental implications those cuts have.
The proposed cuts disproportionately hurt transit riders in Baltimore, who have been waiting for over 30 years for new investment while many billions have been poured into expanding highways surrounding them in that same timeframe. These cuts will harm bus, light rail, metro, and paratransit reliability at a point when those systems are just recovering from shortages and a host of reliability issues. The lack of reliability is highlighted again by the full shut-down of the Central Light Rail line due to electrical issues on the vehicles.
Transit system cuts could also threaten our competitive position for accessing federal dollars for the Baltimore Red Line. The revival of that line was one of the great campaign promises of the governor, and most people in the region can’t wait to see it implemented. To once again see that system slip away because regional transit will be starved of its vitality will be intolerable.
Other areas of Maryland will be affected as well. In Southern Harford County, where the predominance of the population is multiply marginalized, public transit options are already scarce; any more cuts to transit will ensure there will be no public transit at all in Harford County.
In addition, the portion of Maryland near DC will face challenges as well. The proposed increases to WMATA do not solve the fiscal problems Metro has faced from its outset. With a $750 million estimated operating budget shortfall, the Moore-Miller administration and the General Assembly should act to finally work with compact partners to find regional dedicated funding for Metro. Doing so would give the state more flexibility and the region more stability.
The Moore-Miller administration has been vocal in its commitment to achieve the goals of the Climate Solutions Now Act, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from base 2016 levels by the year 2031. The transportation sector is the largest source of these emissions in the state. Transit investments are a critical step toward achieving an equitable solution toward the goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled.
The Moore-Miller administration and the legislature must fully restore operating and capital funds for transit as part of a forward leaning transportation agenda. It must move forward with a fair and robust system for all transit, whether that be MTA, WMATA, or any other system here.
In September 2020, we formed the Save Maryland Transit Coalition, comprising over 40 transit, labor, environmental, and community organizations, to oppose significant pandemic cuts to transit by then-Governor Larry Hogan. We succeeded in saving transit service, ensuring that essential workers across the state could reliably access their transportation. We also worked on the Transit Safety and Investment Act, which ensured that the deferred maintenance backlog crippling MTA's reliability would be funded.
We later rebranded as the Transform Maryland Transportation Coalition, recognizing the unique opportunity of politically aligned government branches to transform and grow our state's transportation system. We came together to save transit from Governor Hogan. We should be transforming it under Governor Moore, not having to save it again.