Action Alert: Don’t Cut State Transit Funding!

The following comes from our friends at Transportation and Land Use Coalition. Well worth a call to save mass transit funding:

Please call your state legislators TODAY and register your opposition to the latest redirection of public transit funds!


In response to a directive from the Governor’s office to come up with over $3 billion in cuts to the current year budget, the Senate Budget Committee voted last night to reallocate $409 million in Public Transportation Account and the Assembly Budget Committee is expected to pass similar legislation this morning.

The 2007-08 budget redirected nearly $1.3 billion in dedicated public transit funding, which TALC and our allies fought throughout the budget process. The California Transit Association sued the state over the redirected funds. A few weeks ago, the Court voided $409 million of the 2007-08 funding raid.

But, instead of returning these funds to the Public Transportation Account, the Senate and Assembly are deleting the original $409 million transfer, the one the Court ruled illegal, and creating a NEW $409 million transfer of PTA dollars to the General Fund.

The full legislature will vote tomorrow–Friday, February 15th– to approve these amendments to the current year budget. That’s why we’re asking you to call your legislators today and urge them to vote No on the $409 million transit funding cut bill.

We know that public transportation is key to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, reducing traffic congestion, and providing access to jobs, school, and other opportunities. On this Valentine’s Day, please ask your representatives to show their love.

Call today and let your legislators know that you oppose the cuts to public transit funding!

Find your legislators’ phone numbers at Leginfo.

Resources:

  • The Sacramento Bee’s editorial on the cuts and the lawsuit
  • TALC’s fight to protect state funding for public transportation and explanation of state funding for transit