Federal effort to restore funds could help stop bus cuts: please call

While I was struggling to sleep last night, I got this in my inbox from the Transit Advocates of Orange County.

CALL TODAY!

Federal Representatives Daniel Lipinski and Russ Carnahan have written a letter urging the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and theSubcommittee on Highways and Transit to allow public transportation systems to use their federal transit funds for operating assistance purposes in this time of emergency.

As far as we know, this is the ONLY federal effort to restore transit operating funds! Please help!

Please CALL your federal Representative TODAY (before Friday May 15) and urge them to sign on to the:
Lipinski / Carnahan Operating Assistance Letter.

Let them know that the local effect is that OCTA is cutting bus service almost 40%, what that means to you, and that it’s happening all over the country.

   Orange County Representatives In Congress

   40th District – Ed Royce (R) (714) 744-4130
   42nd District – Gary G. Miller (R) (714) 257-1142
   44th District – Ken Calvert (R) (949) 888-8498
   46th District – Dana Rohrabacher (R). (714) 960-6483
   47th District – Loretta Sanchez (D) (714) 621-0102 (Sanchez has already signed on!)
   48th District – John Campbell (R) (949) 756-2244

If you’re not sure which of these is your federal Respresentative, call the Registrar of Voters - OC: 714.567.7600
or enter your zip code at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

For your reference, a copy of the letter is at the bottom of this e-mail.

SPREAD THE WORD

Let bus /Access riders and supporters know about the service cuts and have them sign up for our alerts. Le tus know if you can help call riders or sign them up at events.

ATTEND THE OCTA PUBLIC HEARING

Attend the May 22, 9am OCTA public hearing and the June 8 am board of directors vote at OCTA, 600 S. Main St., Orange

URGE YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS TO RESTORE TRANSIT FUNDING

If you’re not sure who your state senator and Assemblyperson are, call the Registrar of Voters - OC: 714.567.7600
or enter your zip code at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

TEXT OF THE LIPINSKY/CARNAHAN OPERATING ASSISTANCE LETTER
April X, 2009

The Honorable James L. Oberstar, Chairman The Honorable John L. Mica, Ranking Member
House Committee on Transportation House Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure and Infrastructure
2365 Rayburn House Office Building 2163 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2308 Washington, D.C. 20515-2308

The Honorable Pete DeFazio, Chairman The Honorable Jimmy Duncan, Ranking Member
House Committee on Transportation House Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure and Infrastructure
Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
B-370A Rayburn House Office Building B-375 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2308 Washington, D.C. 20515-2308

Dear Mr. Chairman, Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Mica, and Ranking Member Duncan:
As we prepare to begin work on a new surface transportation authorization, we respectfully urge you to include language in the bill that would allow public transportation systems to use their federal transit funds for operating assistance purposes. Investing in the sustained operation of our transit systems is crucial to keeping America running.
As you know, the current economic and financial situation in the U.S. has had far-reaching effects on public transit agencies. Yet, while transit ridership is increasing in the face of high gas prices and falling disposable income, transit agencies are being forced to implement service cuts, fare increases and layoffs as a result of declining state and local revenues. These conditions are arising in small counties and large metropolitan areas across the country, including such diverse areas as Great Falls, MT, Los Angeles, Carbon County, PA, and Augusta, GA. For example, in St. Louis, MetroLink trains are running less frequently on both sides of the Mississippi River, and more than 500 employees have been laid off. Officials with the Chicago Transit Authority say that their current $213 million budget shortfall threatens to shut down their entire system. In order to promote a more multi-model transportation system, it is critical we invest in our public transportation systems by permitting the use of federal transit funds for operating assistance.
We know you share our concern about the impact that fare increases would have on working families, particularly as they face greater economic difficulties. Similarly, reduced transit services will impose increased challenges on working Americans. We share your frustration that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was passed without the $2 billion that you had proposed for transit energy grants, which could have been used to pay for fuel costs or more efficient vehicles. Unfortunately, even if that bill had provided transit systems with enough capital funding to double the size of their existing fleets, they likely could not have afforded to put those vehicles into service.
Faced with these converging challenges, we feel that permitting the use of federal transit funding for system operation costs is a pragmatic option to address the current crisis. If we are serious about finding and maintaining efficient ways to get Americans to work, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, improving our air quality, and combating global warming, Congress should provide the operating funds flexibility to help the public transportation industry thrive. An investment in the operation of our transit systems is an investment in our country and our economy.

Thank you for your consideration of our views.
Sincerely,

--- taoc@earthlink.net (714) 607-0012