New Starts is the biggest federal funding program for new transit projects. President Obama's proposed transportation budget, for example, includes $100 million for the Regional Connector (which will eventually receive $670 million) and $100 million for the Purple Line Extension (which should eventually get $1.25 million). Both projects are also funded by Measure R. If the budget is approved by Congress this will be the most New Starts funding that Metro has ever received! Moreover, both the Connector and Purple Line will use federally-backed TIFIA low-interest loans. As Steve Hymon writes on the Source: "The loans, the bonds, the New Starts money and Measure R combined -- that's the big kahuna here, folks. Those 4 things together give Metro the resources to build the expanded transit network many readers here want." Read more.