The Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority (MWAA) has been the subject of intense controversy due to its wasteful spending, lack of accountability, and plan to impose increasing tolls on Northern Virginia commuters to pay for expansion of metro rail service to the Dulles Airport.
Recently, Congressman Frank Wolf got language included in the Transportation Appropriations bill which would require increased transparency and accountability for MWAA. Specifically, the language set a two-term limit for board members and required – shocker – them to leave the board at the end of their terms (instead of staying on until they are replaced). It also allowed board members to be removed for cause.
MWAA responded to Congressman Wolf in a letter essentially stating that it had retained outside legal counsel and intended to ignore Congressional direction on these matters unless and until Virginia and Maryland change their laws to force such accountability.
Despite MWAA’s record of unaccountability and poor management decisions, Wolf has long pushed for expansion of rail to Dulles. Now, with MWAA behaving true to form, the Congressman is demanding more transparency so that ” the region can once again have confidence that the airports and the Dulles Rail project have sound management.” (Wolf letter to Charles Snelling, Chairman of MWAA Board; 12/2/11)
See Congressman Wolf’s full response on his website.
