1398                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                       [CH. 869

Article 5 of said Act, and such contracts or agreements are ac-
ceptable to the Board. The General Assembly of Virginia hereby
authorizes and designates the Authority as the agency to plan for
and provide transit facilities and services for the area of Virginia
encompassed within the Zone within the contemplation of ARTICLE
1., Section 3 (c) of said Act.

(b)    Commitments on behalf of the portion of the Zone located
in Maryland shall be by contract or agreement by the Authority
with the Washington Suburban Transit District, pursuant to which
the Authority undertakes to provide transit facilities and service
in consideration for the agreement by said District to contribute to
the capital required for the construction and/or acquisition of
facilities specified in a mass transit plan adopted as provided in
Article VI, or in any alteration, revision or amendment thereof,
and for meeting expenses and obligations incurred in the operation
of such facilities.

(c)    With respect to the District of Columbia and the Federal
Government, the commitment or obligation to render financial as-
sistance shall be created by appropriation or in such other man-
ner, or by such other legislation, as the Congress shall determine.
If prior to making such commitment by or on behalf of the Dis-
trict of Columbia, legislation is enacted by the Congress granting
the governing body of the District of Columbia plenary power
to create obligations and levy taxes, the commitment by the Dis-
trict of Columbia shall be by contract or agreement between the
governing body of the District of Columbia and the Authority,
pursuant to which the Authority undertakes, subject to the pro-
visions of Section 5 SECTION 317-20 hereof, to provide transit facili-
ties and service in consideration for the undertaking by the District of
Columbia to contribute to the capital required for the construction
and/or acquisition of facilities specified in a mass transit plan adopted
as provided in Article VI, or in any alteration, revision or amend-
ment thereof, and for meeting expenses and obligations incurred
in the operation of such facilities.

317-19. Administrative Expenses—

Prior to the time the Authority has receipts from appropria-
tions and contracts or agreements as provided in Section 317-18 of
this Article VII, the expenses of the Authority for administration
and for preparation of a mass transit and financing plan, including
all engineering, financial, legal and other services required in con-
nection therewith, shall, to the extent funds for such expenses
are not provided through grants by the Federal Government, be
borne by the District of Columbia, by the Washington Suburban
Transit District and the Component COMPONENT governments of
the Northern Virginia Transportation District. Such expenses shall
be allocated among such governments on the basis of population as re-
flected by the latest available population statistics of the Bureau of the
Census; provided, however, that upon the request of any Director
the Board shall make the allocation upon estimates of population
acceptable to the Board. The allocations shall be made by the Board
and shall be included in the annual current expense budget prepared
by the Board.