TO: ALL MPTA Members
FROM: Clark Harder, Executive Director & Bill Zaagman, Lobbyist
DATE: JANUARY 25, 2010
SUBJ:  BI-PARTISAN FUNDING BILLS READY FOR INTRODUCTION

State Reps. Pam Byrnes (D-Washtenaw) and Richard Ball (R-Shiawassee) plan to introduce a bi-partisan transportation funding package this week. They have distributed the following memo to all House members requesting co-sponsors.

Please call your State Representative TODAY and urge him or her to co-sponsor this legislation.

Dear Colleagues,

Michigan’s transportation infrastructure is at a critical juncture. Michigan risks sending back more than $1.5 billion in federal funds over the next 3 years if our state and local governments cannot meet matching requirements. Michigan cannot afford to pass on these funds.

Representative Ball and I are offering a bipartisan package of 3 bills for co-sponsorship today that come from the Transportation Funding Task Force (TF2) recommendations, to address this funding need. This legislation has a broad coalition of support, including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Operating Engineers and the tourism industry.

These bills create the Transportation Investment Fund (TIF) and clearly state that these funds be used for roads, bridges, and public transportation. These bills also call for a transparent accounting of how these funds are spent.

The TIF will be funded by increases made to the gas and diesel taxes. Currently gasoline is taxed at 19 cents per gallon and diesel at 15 cents per gallon. The bills call for the gas tax to increase to 23 cents per gallon and diesel to 21 cents per gallon in March 2010, and then raise both to 27 cents per gallon in 2013. This proposal recognizes the economic realities of the citizens of Michigan by asking for less than the TF2 recommendations. These increases will allow our state, counties and cities to put forth the matching funds necessary for federal dollars and make the critical repairs our roads and bridges need.

Our transportation infrastructure is critical to economic recovery. We must be able to safely and efficiently transport people and goods.

We look forward to your co-sponsorship of this bipartisan effort to maintain our roads and bridges, put people to work, and attract much needed business to our state.

Sincerely,
Pam Byrnes & Richard Ball

White Papers

• Introduction to MPTA/Public Transit in Michigan Overview
• State-Level Public Transportation Funding Issues

Resources

• Gas Tax Analysis – 3/2010
• Michigan Public Transportation: Moving people, driving change
• 2007 Capital Needs Report
• Michigan House Public Transportation Subcommittee Report
• APTA/CTAA National Transit Advocacy Goals
• Get Michigan Moving Coalition www.getmichiganmoving.org

Online Advocacy

• Walkscore is a website that lets you determine the “walkability” of a location by showing what types of businesses and services are nearby. Walkscore also includes a location’s proximity to public transportation. Visit http://www.walkscore.com/transit-feed.shtml to see how this works and add transit system data.
• Google Transit Datafeed is similar to Walkscore. Adding data will allow your transit system to be included in Google Apps.

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Let’s Get Moving!

Initially founded in the Spring, 2004 by the Michigan Public Transit Association and the Amalgamated Transit Union, Let’s Get Moving! is a broad-based coalition of groups, businesses and individuals who support expansion of public transportation options in Michigan.

Bringing together an effective public transportation coalition in Michigan

WHO are members of the “Let’s Get Moving” coalition?

• Organizations and individuals committed to improving public transportation.

WHAT are the goals of the group?

• Establish a pro-transit coalition to maximize effectiveness of advocacy efforts;
• Develop a Public Transit Legislative Caucus; and
• Educate the public about transit issues through an organized, comprehensive public relations campaign.

WHY is a coalition necessary?

• We must join forces to address challenges that include:
  • Insufficient coordination of existing public transportation supporters and goals;
  • Lack of public perception of the benefits of public transportation, generally
  • Specific lack of appreciation for benefits of public transportation in the Michigan Legislature; and
  • Increased ridership, but static or decreased funding.

Join Us Now and… “Let’s Get Moving!”

For More Information, Contact: LGM [at] mptaonline.org