Sure, he did a great job this past year ignoring safety concerns by the NTSB resulting in a mere 9 deaths and 76 injuries. This is typical for the government to promote people or lengthen their contract for failure. What else would you expect?

He works in DC. He gets paid big bucks in DC. He is above accountability in DC. He acts DC. He hikes train fares and cuts bus service in DC. Deaths and incidents on his watch while he replaces carpets and seats in DC. He gets a contract extension in DC. He is popular in DC. He is another stooge of the local leadership of DC.

DC is getting what they asked for.

Not surprised. The current Metro Board is so incompetent....

Of course he did. Look, people, Maryland wants so badly to emulate all things California (land of fruits and nuts) that whatever would be tolerable to the west coasters should be good for us. Incompetence and corruption is not just for New Jersey, you know.

Of course he does. If the person or team of idiots that create these irrelevant polls questions has and keeps a job, then so should he.

Catoe is a product of the same DC system that gave us Marion Barry, Harriet Walters and other famous examples of DC self-government -- why shouldn't we reward him for Metro's sterling record this year??

How many times would I have to ride from Franconia to Largo (we will pay the rush hour rate) to pay for Catoe's annual salary?

And, if you really have nothing to do today (Friday), how many years would it take to pay that fare?

First correct posted answer may get an Express Point.

He should've been foisted off on the Iranians, to head their atomic energy program. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!

Of course he doesn't deserve a contract extension. I know that if my actions/decisions on the job resulted in people dying, I'd be fired on the spot. Why hasn't he been charged in court with the deaths? He doesn't even look like he feels genuine remorse.

But it's hardly the first example of government rewarding failure.

No just no, but HELL NO!

Even if he's not personally responsible for Metro's failures, he's still accountable to a point.

I really wish they'd just ask Dan Tangherlini to come back.

PeoplePlease has already noted above the common link of opting for and sustaining incompetence in DC: another screwy Metro manager and another lame Express question.

But today, I cannot maintain those DC traditions, coz the Nats ain't playing until after working hours, so we can't even skip out of work this afternoon. The Nats, however, are in keeping with the highest traditions of DC government and WMATA by losing 100 games already.

$315,000 a year and a $5,000 a month housing allowance? You have to be kidding me! Metro riders need to protest outside of City Hall!

His contract should include a requirement that he take Metro everyday to his office. While we're at it, the Metro Board should be required to take Metro to their jobs as well. Then maybe they would get serious about improving the service and system.

The way he manage, or mismanage Metro shows he had no business getting a contract extension. Let's take the money from his extention and refund the riders for fare hikes, cut services and time lost on system delays that occured on Catoe's watch. However, there's been mismanagement and incompetent before John Catoe took job.

"$315,000 a year and a $5,000 a month housing allowance?"

Is that really his compensation for yet ANOTHER train delay getting to work today?

Wow, and I thought congress was full of criminal activity! Now we're stuck with this stooge for another 3 years, when we'd probably be better off with random metro commuter #12351 running the show for $10 an hour.

The DC Council should demand that Catoe resign or answer an Express question.

No, but at least it's not the stupidest, most expensive extension Metro's approved this year - that honor goes to the silver line.

DC politics. And people ask why DC won't become a state. This is why.

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall during his performance evaluation. "Since gross negligence only led to the deaths of 11 people this year (not counting the 7 suicides), we're excited to offer you a three-year extension! Get that number into single-digits next year, and we'll boost your salary to an even half-mil".

Give the guy a break. It's not like people have died because of him. Oh....nevermind.

Does the $315k include all of the excessive overtime pay he, like so many other metro employees, will attempt to rack up?

How badly would the year have to have gone for him to get canned? Or even to just get a one-year extension?

Jim Zorn's gotta be thinking he went into the wrong line of work.

Heck, greeters at Wal-Mart are held to a higher standard than John Catoe. Though they do get a 10% employee discount, so that probably explains the discrepancy.

@Just Wonderin'

Don't know, but I do know that it sure doesn't SEEM like any metro employees are "working" overtime around here. Maybe they're just "getting" overtime. One of my metro stations has had a single escalator for months and it only seems to get worked on once a week, tops. Good job, metro losers. When the US dollar collapses and the Federal Government is in panic, I hope you are among the first stooges cut and told to take a hike.

I would like to know who the heck voted yes to this question? Is Catoe hacking into the poll counter and putting in extra "yes" votes?

It's pretty bad that someone like Catoe makes 1.5 times more than the Vice President of the United States ($208,100 as of 2008) and nearly as much as the President.

$5K a month in housing costs? Are you kidding me? You're tying to tell me a guy making $315K a year can't afford a place to live? Hell give me $315K a year to do that crappy of a job, and I'll personally pay to put up 3 homeless guys in their own 1BR apartments.

I don't think he did, but what's done is done. Let's see how Metro does over the next 3 years and then grade Mr. Catoe.

"I don't think he did, but what's done is done. Let's see how Metro does over the next 3 years and then grade Mr. Catoe."

He already has a grade: F-

He's a turd leeching the punch bowl of American wealth.

Catoe probably paid Jim Graham $1,500 to keep his job. What does Graham care, it's only our safety.

What the ... Diogenes, Common Keven and George Washington all on the same side of an issue? The end is nigh!

Metro must be forced to open the books. Metro is like Dick Cheney changing stripes depending upon who is asking the questions. Metro is a public company when it's time for DC, MD and VA to pony up money, but it's a private company when it comes to opening the books and showing where all of those dollars go.