President Obama's Fascal Year 2014 budget recommends that the Westside Subway and Regional Connector receive $130 million in New Starts funding — a down payment on a broader federal funding agreement of over $2 billion (for these two projects) that Metro hopes to conclude with the federal government by the end of this calendar year. LA Metro Federal Affairs Director Raffi Haig Hamparian says LA advocates have played a key role in securing funding for Metro's projects, citing the LA Area Chamber of Commerce's annual trips to Washington DC, several of which have been led by LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, as one particularly helpful example.

Raffi says that with the funding recommended in the President's Budget LA Metro will effectively "double our historical receipt of federal New Starts funds. And after we secure our formal agreement for both projects later this year we should nearly triple ($200 million annually) our receipt of New Starts funding. That is a result to be proud of and a dividend of the strong partnership we have and continue to maintain with the L.A. Area Chamber and other key stakeholders in L.A. County."