And to go with our earlier post about proposed funding for the Regional Connector and Westside Subway Extension, here’s an update from Metro’s government relations staff:

Earlier today, the White House released copies of President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2013 Budget, which includes a proposal to fund a six-year $479 billion surface transportation bill. The Budget includes a number of organizational reforms, seeking to consolidate nearly five dozen existing U.S. Department of Transportation programs into just five programs.

For Los Angeles County, the budget includes a proposal to provide $50 million for the Westside Subway Extension and $31 million for the Regional Connector in Section 5309 Capital Investment Program funds. The President’s Fiscal Year 2013 Budget is a non-binding document that serves to inform Congress of the Administration’s fiscal priorities. Later this year, Congress will consider the transportation appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2013. We will be working with members of both the House and Senate to advance our Board-approved legislative priorities.

For the federal highway program, the Budget includes $41.8 billion, an increase of approximately $2.7 billion over last year’s Budget. The President’s Budget includes a request of $10.8 billion for the Federal Transit Administration in Fiscal Year 2013, an increase of over $230 million over last year’s Budget. Of note is that nearly half of the Administration’s proposed $479 billion surface transportation bill would be paid for by the savings from America’s reduced defense expenditures in both Iraq and Afghanistan.