Our region’s public transportation systems are in dire operating and financial situations. The COVID-19 emergency has destroyed the ridership and revenue of public transportation agencies while inflicting terrible human suffering and staggering financial losses. Federal funding from the CARES Act helped the agencies remain solvent for the near term, but more needs to be done. What are the prospects for additional operational support from the Federal Government to pull the region’s agencies back from the brink and what would be the best process to do it fairly?

Additionally, there has been some momentum for a major infrastructure package to stimulate the economy. How can funding for capital projects in the pipeline or otherwise could help accelerate economic recovery and which projects should we prioritize to keep the region healthy? How do we balance budget needs for operations with the desire to complete capital construction projects?

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