The Washington Metro-Transit Authority budget proposal is proposing harsh service cuts and layoffs as a reactionary austerity measure to the COVID-19 pandemic. The WMATA Finance & Capital Committee is proposing to shut down 22 metrorail stations and reducing bus services to 45% pre-pandemic levels. In addition to being an unsustainable financial and environmental proposition, it is one that will disproportionately impact BIPOC, disabled, elderly, and low-income communities.

Public transportation is a public service that is essential to the health, accessibility, and socio-economic well-being of our city, and is predominantly used by lower-income, BIPOC, and immigrant communities. It is a pillar of clean transit, something DC has to commit to expanding and improving if we are to effectively address our climate crisis. And equitable access to public transit is a human right, not a commodity, and the fundamental infrastructure that underlies human mobility and access to essential resources.

We demand that the WMATA Finance & Capital Committee fully reject the proposed austerity measuresthat would leave thousands of DC residents without safe and reliable access to public transportation, especially during the pandemic.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: tinyurl.com/stopWMATAcuts

• Submit a public comment by March 16th at 5:00 pm by following this link: https://metro2022budget2.questionpro.com.

• Participate in the public hearings happening March 9th and 10th at 6:00 pm to talk about how these service cuts will impact you! Instructions can be found here: https://www.wmata.com/initiatives/budget/upload/Notice-of-Public-Hearing-FY22-Budget.pdf

• Sign this petition! And share it widely.