Remember when a loaf of bread cost a quarter, a gallon of gas was 50 cents, and you could see a movie for a buck or two? Neither do we. The fact is, as time goes on, elusive forces at work in our economy inevitably drive up the price of most items. Though no one likes having to shell out hard earned money for something that cost less yesterday, we grudgingly pay the extra amount as we pray that our wages are rising at a faster rate.

For Metro, however, the price of a ride is not subject to those same economic forces. It remains constant, year after year, until the Metro overlords decide that a fare increase is in in order. Before Metro proposed its convoluted set of fare adjustments this past November, the cost of a ride on Metro had not increased in three years. Each time one of these sporadic fare increases occurs, it set off a chain reaction of outraged passengers, allegations of wasteful spending and lax management, and city officials clamoring to fight the hike at all costs (pun intended). Nothing in this histrionic process is terribly productive, however, and whatever the result, passengers, Metro, and city officials are left with unanswered questions. Was a fare really warranted, or am I being overcharged? Does Metro need more money, or could it balance the books with existing revenue?

As universal as it is to U.S. transit systems, this system of arbitrary fare increases is absurd. The lack of a dedicated source of funding creates enough financial uncertainly for Metro’s budget chiefs without them having to worry about the fact that a $1.35 fare will cover less of a Metro ride this year than it did last year.

Photo by AlbinoFlea