Virginia lawmaker threatens Dulles Metro funding, Washington Examiner, November 22, 2011

UPDATE:  The text of Del. Marshall's bill is included below this article. 

By: Liz Essley | 11/22/11 8:10 PM
Examiner Staff Writer

A Virginia lawmaker is threatening to block state funding for the second phase of the Dulles Metro rail project unless the board in charge of the project eliminates what is perceived to be a union-friendly labor agreement with the contractor and subjects itself to greater public scrutiny.

The legislation filed by Del. Bob Marshall, R-Prince William, would block $150 million in state funding for the rail project, which would extend Metro from Reston to Loudoun County, unless the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority agrees to subject itself to the state's freedom of information laws and allows the state to audit the $6 billion rail project.

Marshall also would forbid the airports authority from entering into any labor agreement with the project's contractor. The authority earlier said it would mandate a labor agreement that some worried would promote the hiring of union labor even though Virginia is a right-to-work state.

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Although it is far from clear that this legislation would pass, it is a warning that the LaHood Dulles Metrorail financial agreement is still not in place.

Text of draft bill:

HOUSE BILL NO. 2Offered January 11, 2012Prefiled November 21, 2011A BILL to prohibit use of revenues of the Commonwealth in connection with construction of Phase II of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.----------Patron-- Marshall, R.G.----------Committee Referral Pending----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  § 1. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, no revenues of the Commonwealth, from whatsoever source, shall be allocated, paid, or expended in connection with Phase II of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project beyond Wiehle Avenue in Fairfax County to Washington Dulles International Airport and on to Virginia Route 772 in Loudoun County if the project or phase of the project (i) is subject to a project labor agreement, (ii) the policy or bylaws of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority governing public access to the Authority’s meetings and records is incompatible with Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.), or (iii) Phase II of the Project and its finances will not be subject to audit by either the Virginia Department of Transportation or the Auditor of Public Accounts.