And Metro Wants Us To Trust Them With $1.5 Billion
The Metro section of this morning’s Washington Post reported that Marion Barry, Washington, D.C.’s so-called “Mayor for Life” got “a break, then a check” from the Metro General Manager. Seems Barry’s Mercedes-Benz was sideswipped, or not, by a Metrobus. According to the Post:
“About a month later, Barry filed a claim against Metro. Metro tracked down the bus operator, who denied hitting any vehicle. There was also no damage to the Metrobus. Unable to confirm Barry's account, a mid-level Metro manager advised against paying the claim.”
So was that the end of it? The Post first noted “this was not just any claimant. This was Barry.” So what happened? According to the Post:
“So when his accident claim was brought to the attention of Metro General Manager John B. Catoe Jr. last year, Catoe decided to make an exception.
"We couldn't prove it one way or the other," Catoe said in a recent interview. "The reality is, he's a member of the board of directors.
"In my judgment, I did not feel that he would have lied about such a small claim," Catoe said. "I believed he was truthful, and I made the decision to pay him."
Barry ended up getting a check for over $3,200 even though the cost of repairing his car was only $2,200. But did Barry return the $1,000 difference to Metro? Hah! Barry told the Post, “The case is closed where I’m concerned.” And about his service to Metro? The Post reports, “In three years, he has attended nine of 165 Metro committee and Board meetings.”
Has Metro’s chairman of the Board taken Barry to task for missing 95% of the meetings? Well, you’ll have to ask Arlington County Board member Chris Zimmerman, current chairman of this year’s Metro board.
And this same Metro board wants the federal government to give them $1.5 billion over the next ten years, as noted in this E-Newsletter from the office of Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA). Should we trush them with $1.5 billion if we can't trust them with $3,200? To paraphrase Fox News, "We report, you decide!"