President Obama has signed into law a $106 billion war funding bill that includes a provision allowing local transit agencies to spend 10 percent of their stimulus money on operating costs.
That sounds good ... but how much money are we actually talking about? According to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA):
- St. Louis' Metro system can spend up to $4.6 million in stimulus cash on operating. When added to the $7.5 million in FTA aid approved on Wednesday, that fills about one-quarter of the transit agency's $50 million shortfall.
- SanFrancisco can spend up to $17.4 million in stimulus cash on operating.Total size of the local BART's deficit for next year: $23 million, even after fare hikes take effect.
- TheNew York-New Jersey-Connecticut area can spend up to $118.2 million instimulus cash on transit operating. Total size of the deficit for nextyear at New York's MTA alone: $1 billion.
- LosAngeles can spend up to $38.8 million in stimulus cash on transitoperating. Total size of the system's deficit for next year: $200 million, as my colleague Damien Newton has reported.
If your home city isn't one listed above, check out the apportionment tables available for download here.
