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Tell legislators to support the Transportation Choices 2020 bill and stop the proposed cuts to our transit system!
You can take action on this alert by reading the information below and following the
directions at the bottom.
The Met Council is proposing drastic transit service cuts and across the board fare increases. We need to fully fund transit now!
While a number of transportation proposals have been put forward at the legislature this year, none fully meet the needs for transit, and none have any money for bicycling and walking facilities. Transit for Livable Communities has been working with a group of allies and introduced the Transportation Choices 2020 bill last week.
The bill will:
Construct at least eight new dedicated bus and rail transitways by the year 2020.
Create new park-and-ride capacity.
Dramatically expand bus service and facilities.
Provide local communities with revenue for local transit, bicycle, and pedestrian projects.
Expand transit in Greater Minnesota to all counties and provide more evening and weekend service.
Prevent fare increases and service cuts this year.
The bill institutes a half cent regional sales tax exclusively for transit, bicycling and walking and phases in additional revenue from the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax to transit.
The bill had a successful hearing in the House Transportation Finance Committee last week. TLC and other groups turned out over 120 transit supporters for the hearing and the bill was kept alive for future consideration. We need to increase our momentum and build critical support among all legislators for full transit funding now.
It's very important for all legislators to be contacted, even if you think that they already support transit!
The most effective action you can take is to place a phone call to your legislators. You can also send a message through our e-mail/fax alert system - but a personal phone call will likely get the most attention.
TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS:
Call 651-296-2146 or 1-800-657-3550. Talk with the operator and you will then be connected to your legislator. Identify yourself as a constituent and urge him or her to support the bill Transportation Choices 2020 (House File 1735 or Senate File 1703) because it is the legislative proposal that best addresses the full needs of our transit system by the year 2020, gives transit a reliable source of funding and prevents fare increases and service cuts this year.
When you have made your phone call to your legislator, please contact Dan Walsh at TLC (danw@tlcminnesota.org) and let him know that you placed the call. It is important that we track the amount of messages that each legislator receives.
When you have done your part and contacted your legislators - please take a moment to forward this alert to friends using the TELL-A-FRIEND link. The more people who talk to their legislators the more effective we will be.
For more information on this initiative go to the Transit for Livable Communities website by clicking on the MORE button below:
Your message will be sent to each of the following targets:
Senator Steve L. Murphy
Your State Representative
Your State Senator
A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.
Support the Transportation Choices 2020 bill
Dear Senator Murphy,
As your constituent, I urge you to support the bill Transportation Choices 2020 (HF 1735 or SF 1703) for the following reasons.
First, it prevents the devastating fare increases and service cuts to our transit system this year.
Second, it gives transit a reliable and secure source of funding.
Third, it is the legislative proposal that best addresses the full needs of our transit system. It gives transit an additional $360 million dollars a year to build a system of major transitways, double bus ridership by the year 2020, and support bicycle and pedestrian projects that make transit more effective.
Building a system of transportation choices is about improving our community and is key to our region's health and quality of life. It is time to invest in this basic common good so that everyone can participate in their community and our region can remain competitive into the 21st century.
Your name and address here
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This Action Alert Campaign is Closed.
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