Houston Area Realtors H-Town DayOctober 4, 2012

✓Local Buses

✓METRORail

✓Park & Ride Commuter Buses

✓High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes/High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes

✓METROLift Paratransit

✓Star Van (METRO’s van pool)

✓Bikes on Buses

✓Motorist Assistance

✓Program (MAP)

✓METRO Police

METRO Services

METRO Service Area

How METRO is funded

• 1¢ Sales Tax (reduced by 25% given to

Harris County, City of Houston, and

multicities – “General Mobility Program”)

• Fare Box Revenues

• Federal Grants

Recurring (“Formula Grants”)

Discretionary (e.g., FFGA for rail)

How METRO was funded – FY2011

Source FY2011 Amount

Sales Tax Less GMP $536 Million $134 Million

Fare box $65 Million

Federal Grants

– Formula Grants $60 Million

– Discretionary Grants $900 Million (FFGA) ($190 Million FY2011)

How METRO is funded (cash to date)

Source FY2012 Amount

Sales Tax Less GMP

$588 Million $180 Million

Fare box $65 Million

Federal Grants

– Formula Grants $71 Million

– Capital Grants$900 Million (FFGA) ($307 Million FY2012)

– Other Capital Grants $28 Million

Accomplishments since April 2010

✓Hired new management

✓Clarified priorities and operating principles

✓Resolved Buy America

✓Put Federal Grants back on track

✓Made transparency the rule

✓Settled lawsuits

✓Put General Mobility on cash basis

✓Revised union contract

✓Reestablished sound budgeting principles

METRO’s Current Culture: Independent Recognition

✓Comptroller’s Leadership Circle Gold Level

Award

✓FTA Triennial Review – Clean report with

no exceptions

✓Clean Independent Audit Opinion

(No auditor findings)

METRO’s Strategic Direction:

The 2003 METRO Referendum

✓Authorized Long Range Bus and Rail Plan

✓Specifically approved four priority rail corridors

✓Three priority rail corridors over 50% complete

✓University corridor has achieved Record of Decision

✓Focusing increased attention on bus system and service

✓GMP extended to Sept. 2014

The continued dedication of up to 25% of

METRO’s sales and use tax revenues for

street improvements and related projects

for the period October 1, 2014 through

December 31, 2025 as authorized by law

and with no increase in the current rate

of METRO’s sales and use tax.

Current Key Issue: GMP Referendum on Nov. 2012 Ballot

For

Against