WASHINGTON — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city will support Virginia’s plan to provide a permanent funding stream for Metro in her State of the District speech Thursday night.
“We’re going all in and fully funding Metro for our future at $178 million, the amount the District needs to contribute to finally solve the dedicated revenue problem that has held our system back for years and years,” Bowser said.
Earlier in the day, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson tweeted his support for the payments. The amount D.C. has agreed to contribute was set in a Metro funding plan approved by the Virginia General Assembly last weekend. Whether Maryland will agree to pay its full share under that plan is still a question mark.
Bowser also promised that the homeless shelter at D.C. General will close this year. “We cannot move fast enough. That shelter is an embarrassment to our city, and I will not be the mayor who passes up the opportunity to demolish it,” she said.
In her address, Bowser also talked about the city’s public schools, which have been rocked by a widespread grading scandal, and the resignation of former schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson after he admitted skirting the rules to get his daughter into a high-performing school.
“I recognize that there is trust that needs to be rebuilt between our school system and parents, and systems of accountability and oversight that need to be reinforced and reviewed,” Bowser said.
She added that under the leadership of a new interim chancellor, the school system will finish the year strong and be ready to start the next one.
