Washington Post: “Metro is not a political trophy to be squabbled over”

The Washington Post makes an excellent point about the brouhaha in Virginia right now over who gets to be on Metro’s board of directors.

…Metro is not a political trophy to be squabbled over; it’s one of the busiest and most critical transportation systems in the nation. Northern Virginia needs to recognize the state’s legitimate interest and contribution, back down and allow Richmond a vote on the Metro board. Richmond should negotiate without holding the system hostage. This internecine skirmish must not be allowed to jeopardize funding for transit in the nation’s capital.

I think this makes a good deal of sense. In the end, it’s perfectly reasonable for Virginia to want a “seat at the table,” but it’s also true that the McDonnell Administration’s “threat to withhold funding is not [justified]; it’s blackmail.”  And it’s “blackmail” over a transit system that is absolutely indispensable to the life and economy of Northern Virginia, the “economic engine” of Virginia as a whole. The bottom line is that none of us can afford for this dispute to escalate and harm Metro. The question is, are there are any adults around Richmond (and NOVA) these days who realize this and can resolve this situation? We’ll find out soon enough, one way or the other.