Sen. Brian Feldman said lawmakers believed they had a "soft deadline" of Feb. 9 to create a new safety agency to oversee Washington, D.C.'s troubled Metro rail line. He said they didn't realize it was a "hard deadline" until the new Trump administration sent a letter Friday revoking $4.8 million in federal aid.
"We were all caught by surprise," said Feldman, a Montgomery County Democrat and chairman of the Joint Committee on Federal Relations.
Maryland, Virginia and D.C. were each penalized 5 percent of their federal transit aid for failing to establish a newly empowered safety commission by the deadline. They money will be reinstated if the jurisdictions create the agency — something officials agreed to do in principle seven years ago after a collision killed nine people near the Fort Totten Metro stop.
In February 2016, the Department of Transportation set the Feb. 9 deadline to enact a plan. The process involves passing identical legislation in all three jurisdictions, setting up the new agency and making sure it has the funds to operate.
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let the punishments begin. Hogan should have supported trump and the state should stop trying to mess with the feds.
ReplyDeleteNo federal cash for any city or state that harbors illegals!
ReplyDeleteDave T: The Maryland Senate got what they deserved. What's a shame is that the people of this state have to suffer from the poor performance of these idiots who call themselves "public servants." What a joke. Maryland needs new leadership in the Senate with people who actually care about the state and the people!
ReplyDeleteThese so called politicians will not be replaced until the districts are redrawn or the people voting them in are hurt by their actions, doubtful that will happen. In the mean time the people outside of the metro core have to suffer from their actions with no concern from them for our way of life outside of that core.
ReplyDeletethey should have been doing their jobs instead of forcing 5 new $200K/yr lawyers down out throats to tie up the President in court!
ReplyDeleteThey have had a year to do this, and they couldn't even get it done in a year. What the heck are they talking about with a soft deadline? Don't do your job and see if your boss pays you. I think each and every state and federal government agency should stop paying state and federal employees when things do not get done. You don't do your job you don't get paid just like any other employee in the private sector.
ReplyDeleteIts because their too busy knee jerking again, teen cant get married, being able to sue the feds, more useless gun laws. Bend over MD the democrats are sticking it to us working class again because of there stipidity
ReplyDeleteThey had a year to get this done and chose let it sit on a back burner under discussion, not expecting the feds to follow through with withholding funds. All but 25 days of this debacle took place on Obama's watch. Hogan warned the legislature that it had better get moving, but it fell on the deaf ears of those who obviously want the administration to look bad.
ReplyDelete