ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The chair of DASH's board has directed the transit agency's general manager to draw up service-cut scenarios that would let DASH begin repaying the city $250,000 to $750,000. That's part of the money the city used to cover last year's overspending.

Chair David Kaplan described the request in a Nov. 7 letter from the Alexandria Transit Company board to Mayor Alyia Gaskins, City Council and City Manager James Parajon. The letter and its two attachments are posted with the materials for the board's Nov. 12 meeting. The letter also says the costs behind DASH's $5.9 million fiscal 2027 shortfall "are costs DASH should have better anticipated when the budget was developed."

The board holds a public hearing Nov. 12 on the $2.5 million package of service cuts it advanced Oct. 14, then decides whether to proceed "with or without modifications," according to the meeting agenda. Baker recommends adopting the cuts as advertised, effective Jan. 31, the agenda says.