D.C. Council member Charles Allen is proposing legislation to give city residents $100 a month on their SmarTrip cards to promote transit equity.
“If you know the history of [the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority], you know actually funding and building the system we have today was a modern miracle,” Mr. Allen said at a press conference Monday on the steps of the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest. “Today it remains the secret to our region’s success. But it is time for us to dream big again. If you are a D.C. resident, your public transit system should be a benefit of simply being a resident, just like our schools, libraries and roads.
“Giving District residents $100 a month to use on public transit would put thousands of dollars back into families’ bank accounts each year. It ensures transit agencies have to earn those riders, which in turn would reduce congestion and carbon emissions from driving,” the Ward 6 Democrat said.
Mr. Allen’s bill, the Metro for DC Amendment Act 2020, would be funded by tax revenue surpluses and would create a $10 million-a-year transit equity fund to focus on public transit improvements in low-income communities in Wards 5, 7 and 8.
The subsidy program and the equity fund are estimated to cost $51 million to $151 million annually, depending on the participation rate and any negotiated discounts, Mr. Allen’s press release said.
Responding to press questions about the cost, he pointed to the District’s financial health and consistent projected increases in tax revenue. The chief financial officer last year increased the projected fiscal 2021 revenue by $331 million.
Mr. Allen plans to introduce the bill Tuesday with eight other council members: Chairman Phil Mendelson, at-large Democrat; Mary M. Cheh, Ward 3 Democrat; Kenyan McDuffie, Ward 5 Democrat; Robert White, at-large Democrat; Brianne Nadeau, Ward 1 Democrat; David Grosso, at-large independent; Trayon White, Ward 8 Democrat; and Anita Bonds, at-large Democrat.
The legislation would alleviate financial pressures for seniors on fixed incomes and working families, said Mr. Allen, adding that they would have extra money to spend on housing, child care or education.
“It’s going to make it easier to do business in the District of Columbia, especially for our smaller local businesses,” Mr. Allen said. “We know that only a small number of employers are actually able to provide their employees a transit benefit, and we know that we can help shoulder this burden because we know when more people are riding transit, it has benefits for absolutely everybody.”
The balance of each SmarTrip card would not exceed $100 to account for residents who don’t use the full subsidy every month.
The program would be rolled out through a four-tiered system. Residents earning no more than 300% of the federal poverty level would receive the subsidy first. Residents would have to apply for the benefit yearly.
The transit equity fund would pay for additional bus services in “transit deserts,” studies to identify transit priority needs and bus infrastructure, Mr. Allen said.
It is particularly important for residents in the eastern side of the city who have longer commutes, are more dependent on public transit and often pay more per ride he said, noting that 50% of Metro bus riders are low-income residents.
“We need transit equity in our city, which means we’ve got to take steps to address historic wrongs,” he said.
• Sophie Kaplan can be reached at skaplan@washingtontimes.com.
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