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The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) next fiscal year doesn't begin until July 2010. But the agency already is taking steps to reduce next year's budget.

WMATA General Manager John Catoe has directed the finance office to tightly control spending for consultants, supplies and business travel, and seek other areas to cut expenses. In addition, the agency has cut 100 positions that have been vacant for more than six months.  

The authority relies on subsidies from local jurisdictions to fund 40 percent of its annual operating budget.

"The steps we're taking now will reduce our budget needs for fiscal-year 2010 at a time when our local funding partners will, in all likelihood, be struggling to fund us," said Catoe in a prepared statement.