A transportation bill may be introduced in the PA House next week – PLEASE CALL AND EMAIL YOUR LEGISLATORS ASAP to urge them to vote for funding for public transit!
Public transit advocates are VERY concerned that a bill without adequate public transit funding might be introduced in the House next week. So, when you call, please specify that you DO support AT LEAST the level of funding for public transit specified in the original version of Rafferty’s Senate Bill 1 (Printer Number 1162). That version of the bill passed by Senate 45-5, with broad bipartisan consensus, providing $2.5 billion for ALL transportation, including roads and bridges, by year five. That SB 1 version contains the MINIMUM amount needed to avoid major public transit cuts in next few years.
- Public transit connects people to employment centers and business districts, which is vital to keeping our state’s economic system strong
- In this way, a robust public transit system enables a healthy urban tax base, which supports the state budget, including roads and bridges for suburban and rural regions.
- Public transit and paratransit services also connect citizens of all ages and abilities to educational services, shopping, recreation, cultural activities, polling places, medical care, and other life ‐ sustaining services
- Public transit use saves significant amounts of gasoline usage and carbon dioxide emissions
- Public transit means fewer cars on the road, which means less wear and tear on existing infrastructure and less need for new capacity; this results in lower costs to taxpayers
- Please pass on this message to your networks and ask your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors to call their legislators as well – we need your help now!