Chronicle: Metro's funding problems are DeLay's and Culberson's fault
Today's Chronicle tells us, in a four-reporter story carrying Lucas Wall's byline, that Metro's funding hiccup isn't the fault of Metro's self-described "innovative" funding proposal. It's actually the fault of Rep. Tom DeLay and Rep. John Culberson.
The story's context is a waiver that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison inserted into the Senate's appropriations bill "that would have forced the FTA to accept the Metropolitan Transit Authority's nontraditional financing proposal." A similar waiver was inserted into the House's version, then taken out:
Hutchison's amendment would have authorized 100 percent federal funding for the Northline and Southeast extensions in exchange for Metro funding two later rail lines solely with local tax dollars. While DeLay and Culberson say they had nothing to do with the deletion of the amendment in the final version, they say they opposed Hutchison's rider, which by authorizing full federal funding, exempted Metro from federal law requiring at least a 20 percent local contribution on each rail segment. The typical local share is more like 50 percent.
[snip]
Culberson said Friday that Metro asked him in October to support the amendment. He sent letters to the chairmen of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Don Young, R-Alaska, and the House transportation appropriations subcommittee, Ernest Istook, R-Okla. Both responded they strongly objected to the exemption Metro sought.
Given those reservations, Culberson, the region's only member on the House Appropriations Committee, told Metro he could not endorse the amendment, which he also personally opposed.
"What Metro was asking for is illegal and utterly inappropriate because all 200 rail-transit projects across the country would then ask for the same 100 percent full funding deal," Culberson said. The conferees "should have struck it, you bet."
As Wall notes, DeLay and Culberson have said they will not block federal funding for Metro, but Laurence Simon pointed out last week that's not the same as agreeing to cheerlead for Metro. Metro knew the rules and chose to ignore them. But Wall doesn't focus on that; instead he leads readers by the hand to conclude that Culberson nefariously removed Metro's waiver, while allowing a similar waiver for a San Francisco project to remain. It would have been refreshing if Wall (or someone) had asked Sen. Hutchison how she got the idea to add that waiver. Did Metro officials ask her for a little assistance, to get around a federal requirement? Isn't that a question worth asking?
In spite of all the Chronicle's hand-wringing and hyperventilating, Metro could still get the funding:
Tuesday's report from the FTA is not the final word on which cities obtain $1.53 billion in transit capital grants next fiscal year. The report is a recommendation to Congress, which crafts the transportation appropriations bill later this year.
"They still have an opportunity to receive funding this year as long as their submission is on track and the FTA approves it," said DeLay spokeswoman Shannon Flaherty.
DeLay's office has been informed by the FTA that it received a revised application from Metro in November and is still evaluating it, Flaherty said.
So let's recap: Metro submitted a proposal that wasn't in accordance with federal guidelines, and contained incorrect and unreliable data; the FTA informed Metro that the proposal needed to be redone; Metro has submitted a new one and it's being considered. Metro hasn't been denied funding; no determination has been made.
But the unbelievable part is the Chronicle blaming DeLay and Culberson for this. Metro officials knew the rules and arrogantly decided not to follow them. Now Metro is crying foul because there's a potential delay. Well, whose fault is that?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/13/05 04:40 PM | Print |
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