Thursday, February 24, 2011

Senate Transportation Committee has 24 Hours to Save Transit Service

Below is an action alert that was sent out this afternoon.  The ability to save transit service rests in the State Senate Transportation Committee's hands.  Please note the action alert only works if you are a constituent who lives in the district of a Senator who is on Transportation and represents agencies affected by the bill. That said, if you live in the 11th, 21st, 30th, 34th, 41st, or 44rd district please TAKE ACTION!

Senate Transportation Committee has 24 Hours to Save Transit Service: Take Action Today!
If you take the bus to get to school, work or to essential services, you know that we cannot afford to cut 15-35% of our transit service in the State.  Pierce Transit, Community Transit, and King County Metro are all facing a funding crisis brought on by the poor economy.  If the Washington State Senate does not act now there will be devastating cuts to bus service across Puget Sound.  And the cuts have already begun.  Community Transit has already cut all Sunday service with more to come this year.  Pierce Transit is facing 35% cuts and King County Metro will have to cut 17% service without new revenue.
These cuts will impact our community’s most vulnerable - low income families trying to get to work and school, senior citizens trying to get to medical appointments and people with disabilities who have no other options.

That is why the Senate Transportation Committee needs to pass Senate Bill 5457 in the next 24 hours to save bus service in the Puget Sound.  This bill will simply give your local transit agency the option to raise revenues temporarily in order to avoid massive cuts to bus service. 
It creates a temporary congestion reduction fee of $30 to stave off bus service cuts.  The fee expires in 2013
YOUR SENATOR serves on the Transportation Committee!  Please take 5 minutes out of your day to CLICK HERE and tell them to pass Senate Bill 5457 out of committee to save your bus service.  Make sure to tell them your personal story of why transit is important to you.
Thanks for your support!

Andrew Austin
Field Director
Transportation Choices Coalition
Your voice is important CLICK HERE to act today!


UPDATE: A modified version of SB 5457 that is for a $20 vehicle license fee that applies only to King County passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee today. Thank you for your voice and help!

1 comment:

  1. What is the "temporary congestion reduction fee of $35" in Senate Bill 5457?
    Who pays it?
    How do they pay it?
    Your message talks only about Puget Sound.
    Is this not a statewide measure?
    If not, why not?
    Why should transit agency boards be able to impose a fee when the voters rejected taxing themselves (in Pierce County)?

    ReplyDelete