This morning, the Minnesota Supreme Court denied the petition to overturn the Transportation Amendment.

We’re pleased that the Court upheld the right of Minnesotans to decide whether they support reliable funding for transit and roads. And we believe that Minnesotans are smart enough to make this decision themselves.

These are some of the reasons Transit for Livable Communities supports the Transportation Amendment:

• First Reliable Source of Funding for Transit in State History: Right now, $0 is guaranteed to transit projects–this has led to years of service cuts, fare increases, and no real plan to expand transit in the future. The Transportation Amendment would guarantee $120 million per year, giving transit the reliable source of funding that roads have had for 50 years.
• Necessary to Avoid Bus Service Cuts, Fare Increases, and to Keep Key Transit Projects on Track: If the Transportation Amendment doesn’t pass, transit projects will face up to $30 million per year in budget cuts–the largest cuts in Metro Transit’s history. This means more service cuts and fare increases. It also seriously jeopardizes proposed light rail and commuter rail projects, including Central Corridor and Northstar, and bus rapid transit projects, including the I-35W and Cedar Avenue bus rapid transit.  
• Supports Transit Without Hurting Other Programs: Right now, the tax paid when you buy a car goes into the general fund, which is a large pot of money that funds many state programs. Budget forecasts show an increasing state budget, and the Amendment will be phased in over five years. Education, health care, and other services will not be hurt by passing this Amendment; in fact, a strong transit system supports these vitally important state programs.   
• Greater Investment in Transit=Greater Benefits for All Minnesotans: The past five years of bus service cuts force too many people to wait over a half hour in the freezing cold just to get to the grocery store, school, or their doctor’s appointments. This is unacceptable. Minnesota needs a strong transit system; passing the Transportation Amendment is the first step toward getting there.

If voters reject the Transportation Amendment, legislators will likely conclude that Minnesota doesn’t really care about transportation–at least not enough to pony up the dollars to support it. And they will conclude that doing nothing is an acceptable response.

We say this is unacceptable. And this is why we at Transit for Livable Communities strongly encourage you to “Vote Yes” on November 7th.

If you’d like more information, contact us. We’ve been living and breathing this Amendment for months on end, and we know all about it. Give us a ring at 651-767-0298 or email tlc@tlcminnesota.org.

You can also check out the Minnesotans for Better Roads and Transit webpage at www.voteyesmn.org. The Amendment is supported by over 1,000 organizations, including progressive, member-based organizations that include teachers, farmers, labor leaders, and other people who want to see improvements in Minnesota’s transportation system.

If you’re really gung-ho about the Amendment, you should volunteer with us. We’re hanging out at bus stops, light rail stops, and park’n'rides to talk to people about the Amendment. I’ve been out a few times, and I must say it’s one of my favorite parts of the day. I love to talk to Minnesotans and answer their questions about this Amendment. Nerdy? Possibly. A really fun couple hours? Absolutely. Check out our volunteer calendar at: http://www.tlcminnesota.org/calendar.html and contact Patience Caso if you’re interested in helping out: 651-767-0298 or PatienceC@tlcminnesota.org.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 26th, 2006 at 1:52 pm by Katie and is filed under Transit and Transportation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.