Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe is expected to unveil a proposal Monday calling for higher taxes in Northern Virginia on real estate sales, hotel stays and wholesale gas to provide Metro with dedicated funding, according to The Washington Post.
The increased taxes would create an additional $65 million a year, according to the report. The new tax revenue would be paired with $85 million in Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funds — annual regional tax money for road and transit projects — to cover Virginia’s $150 million annual share of the $500 million Metro says it needs to meet safety and reliability standards.
McAuliffe’s proposal is part of the state budget he will present during the General Assembly’s January legislative session, according to the report.
His proposal also comes with the conditions Virginia will only provide the funding if Maryland and the District meet their commitments and that Metro replace its current 16-member board with five-member reform board. The smaller board is a recommendation from Roy LaHood, the former U.S. transportation secretary McAuliffe commissioned for a report on Greater Washington’s transit system.