Who will be the next chairman of the Metro board of directors? Probably not The Washington Post's pick, if he has any say in the matter.

The Washington Post editorial board suggested on Tuesday that federal appointee Mortimer Downey would be a good pick to cut through the parochialism blamed on the tri-jurisdictional board. The Maryland and Virginia governors and D.C.’s mayor have asked for a multi-year regional chairmanship, after all. As an appointee of the U.S. General Services Administration, he has no dog in the fight over suburbs versus city, Maryland versus Virginia tax dollars.

But Downey was surprised when told of the editorial Tuesday morning. (His driveway was slick with ice, so he said he hadn’t yet ventured outside to get his paper.)

Furthermore, the retired former head of the New York subway system said he’s not interested. “I want to spend some of my time doing other things,” he told The Examiner.

In fact, he said, he thought he was “safe” as a federal appointee from having to be part of the rotation.

Tradition has it that Fairfax County Supervisor Cathy Hudgins would take the slot from outgoing Chairman Peter Benjamin, who represents Maryland.

Board members Jeff McKay and outgoing member Christopher Zimmerman, who also served for Virginia, said they expect Hudgins to win the slot despite the pressure for a regional pick.