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D.C. Metro Spending $51 Million On Consultants

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A newspaper report says Metro is paying more than $51 million to consultants to help better run the transit agency.

The Washington Examiner, citing data obtained through a public records request, says Metro is spending $51.9 million on current consulting contracts with 18 different companies.

Among the things that the consultants are analyzing are escalators, farecards and crafting requests for other outside contracts to help keep the transit system running.

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel says the transit agency is trying to use the consultants in a way where they "augment in-house staff." He says Metro will try and hire personnel and develop them if there is a long-term need for a certain skill.

It's not clear how many extra people the consultants add to Metro's work force.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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