Background: On January 20, 2026, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced the public comment period for the General Manager’s proposed FY 2027 operating budget and FY 2027 – 2032 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Comments will be received through February 10, 2026.

WMATA’s proposed FY 2027 operating budget totals $2.614 billion, a two percent increase from FY 2026, and complies again with the mandatory 3 percent cap. It includes targeted improvements to Metrorail service, proposes refinements to the Better Bus Network, and maintains MetroAccess services throughout Fairfax County. In terms of the capital budget, the proposed FY2027 - 2032 CIP includes two scenarios: 

• An $11.3 billion, six-year proposed capital program that is constrained and assumes no new regional investment; and
• A $15.8 billion, six-year scenario that includes additional regional investment ($460 million annually, indexed and bonded) in alignment with the DMVMoves recommendation to increase the capital program.

The proposed CIP prioritizes the State of Good Repair backlog and advances programs already underway, including the procurement of 8000-series railcars, as well as the Rail Modernization program, which focuses on investments in communications-based train control (CBTC). All these investments are critical to Metrorail’s reliability and capacity.

Fairfax County is working collaboratively with Northern Virginia jurisdictions, the Commonwealth, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and regional partners to identify and secure sustainable funding for WMATA’s operations and long-term capital needs. These collaborations are driven by two recent initiatives: Virginia’s SJ 28 and the work undertaken by Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland DMVMoves.

The Board usually provides comments on the WMATA budget via a Board Item. However, given the limited amount of time before the public comment period ends, staff has worked with my office to prepare the attached letter, which outlines, in more detail, the Board’s perspective on the proposed budgets and the long-term viability of WMATA’s operating and capital budgets.

Motion: Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that the Board of Supervisors approve the attached lettter that provides comments on WMATA’s proposed FY 2027 Operating Budget and FY 2027 – 2032 Capital Improvement Program.