Testimony: Board of Trade supports DMVMoves Task Force recommendations to secure sustainable funding for regional transit
About this Testimony:
Jack McDougle, President & CEO of the Board of Trade, speaking as Chair of the Community Partners Advisory Group, delivered strong support for the DMVMoves Task Force’s draft recommendations to secure sustainable funding and regional coordination for transit across the Greater Washington area. New capital funding would generate $460 million annually in dedicated, bondable capital for Metro beginning FY2028, addressing long-standing funding gaps to keep the system safe and modern. Furthering modernization and financial stability for Metro is important for growing our economy and workforce to meet the future needs of this region.
Video of Testimony:
Written Testimony Submitted:
Dear members of the DMVMoves Task Force,
Thank you for your leadership and tremendous work that has gone into this process. I’d also like to thank my fellow advisory committee chair, Bryan Hill; the members of both advisory committees; and Clark Mercer and his team at COG, especially Kanti and Monica—for guiding this effort. And thank you as well to Nick Donohue for his thoughtful leadership, technical expertise, and steady facilitation.
I want to recognize WMATA — General Manager Randy Clarke, his leadership team, and especially Tom Webster — for their responsiveness and for the significant progress they have delivered. Being named APTA’s Transit Agency of the Year reflects real improvement in safety, reliability, and customer experience. Without that progress, we would be having a very different conversation today.
I’m Jack McDougle, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, and it’s been a privilege to chair the Community Partners Advisory Group. Our committee brought together business, labor, community advocates, and nonprofit leaders. We debated tough issues, and while we didn’t agree on every priority, we reached meaningful consensus around the need for integrated, reliable, and sustainably funded transit across the region.
This effort is especially urgent as the federal government restructures and disruptive technologies accelerate. Our region must be able to compete for talent, investment, and innovation in a rapidly changing economy.
If we can’t move people, we can’t move opportunity. That’s why the recommendations before you matter. They provide $460 million per year in new, bondable capital beginning in FY2028—growing three percent annually—to keep Metro safe, modern, and efficient. Securing durable, dedicated capital funding is something this region has struggled to achieve for decades, and reaching consensus on this framework is a milestone worth celebrating.
The recommendations also set a path to align our 14 transit providers into a seamless regional network—fare policies, service guidelines, training, and priority investments. That’s how we move from a collection of systems to a coordinated platform that supports riders and drives economic growth.
We’ve heard thoughtful feedback urging us to go further. Continued work on dedicated operating funding, stronger bus-priority implementation, accountability for delivery, workforce transition strategies, and regional studies of tools like congestion pricing and land value capture are all important next-phase conversations. Nothing in these recommendations precludes that work. In fact, they create the structure required to do it responsibly.
But we must act now. The upcoming legislative sessions present a narrow window to secure long-term stability. If we allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good, we risk losing momentum, weakening public confidence, and slowing economic recovery. Not supporting these recommendations would take us a step backward and push us farther from the work many want to pursue next.
From the business community’s perspective, this is about competitiveness and quality of life. Metro and our local transit systems support over $25 billion in annual economic activity, connect nearly a million daily trips, and underpin our ability to attract and retain talent and capital. Failing to act would cost far more—in congestion, lost productivity, and diminished trust in our region’s future.
This plan is not the end of the journey; it is a beginning. We strongly support continuing a community advisory body as COG leads this next phase, with clear milestones, transparent reporting, and regional accountability. That is how we convert recommendations into results.
Greater Washington has the assets, the talent, and the vision. Now we need the resolve. Let’s move forward together—because when our region moves, our economy moves, and our people thrive.
Thank you,
Jack McDougle
President & CEO
Greater Washington Board of Trade
Become a member today
We need your voice at the table to make Greater Washington a place where everyone can succeed
