The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) approved “Guiding Principles for Future Transit Funding” at their last meeting. The principles set forth NVTC’s policy priorities as two major efforts focused on establishing long-term sustainable funding for public transit move forward this year.

NVTC has a seat at the table for both DMVMoves, a task force created by D.C. Metro and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, as well as the Virginia General Assembly’s SJ28 Northern Virginia Growing Needs of Public Transit Joint Subcommittee.

"The Metro system, and all of the region's public transit agencies, are vital to the economic development and environmental sustainability of Northern Virginia and the Greater Washington region," said NVTC Chair David F. Snyder. "It's also an important transportation link that enables members of the public to conveniently and affordably go about their daily lives and supports our democracy by enabling citizens to easily reach and engage with their national government. That's why we need to ensure that Metro, VRE, and our local bus systems receive the ongoing funding that they will need to remain viable far into the future."

NVTC represents the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax, and the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun, These principles provide a consensus position on priorities related to addressing future regional transit funding needs.

Goals for Funding

For all public transit agencies in Northern Virginia, NVTC seeks a long-term, sustainable, dedicated funding solution that:

1. Provides adequate growth in revenues to meet current and future operating and capital needs for Metro, Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and local transit operators in Northern Virginia.

2. Preserves existing local, regional and statewide revenue sources that support public transit operating and capital expenses.

3. Aims to reduce pressure on property taxes as a funding source for transit.

4. Continues to reflect a diverse range of revenue sources to reduce the economic risk associated with overreliance on a single revenue source.

5. Directly distributes revenues to NVTC for allocation to local bus systems, VRE, and to those jurisdictions funding Metro, matching or similar to NVTC’s financial management model.

The “Guiding Principles for Future Transit Funding” also include specific priorities for funding Metro, recognizing that each of NVTC’s member jurisdictions and the Commonwealth of Virginia pay to operate and maintain the Metro system.