SACRAMENTO—At
a special informational hearing today at 4pm on public transit funding
in the state budget, transit agencies, environmentalists, transit
riders, and others will testify before the Assembly Budget Subcommittee
on Transportation to emphasize the need for increased investment in
public transit to meet California’s growing transportation needs.
Governor
Schwarzenegger’s January budget proposal would redirect more than half
of all state funding for public transit, just two months after
Californians overwhelmingly voted in support of more transportation
funding by passing Proposition 1B and less than one month after
Governor Schwarzenegger signed California’s
historic global warming bill--AB 32. In total, the Governor’s budget
would redirect $1.1 billion in state public transit funds to other
programs. His budget also proposes to permanently terminate an often
sizable source of transit operations funds, known as the “spillover,”
in years when gas prices rise faster than inflation.
Thirty
organizations have signed on to an open letter to the legislature,
urging them to reject the Governor’s proposed cuts to public transit.
In addition, more than twenty organizations convened in Sacramento last Tuesday, March 21st, to participate in a lobby day with legislators about the need for adequate public transit funding.
“Cutting
public transit would ignore the public’s clear frustration with growing
traffic congestion and our desire to invest in more transportation
options to meet our travel needs,” said Emily Rusch, Advocate for
CALPIRG. “The Legislature must reject Governor’s Schwarzenegger’s
proposed cuts and fully fund public transit.”
“Investing in quality public transit must be an integral part of California's strategy to address global warming. 41% of our state's greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation. And, as California
becomes home to more people and as Californians drive more and farther,
cleaner fuels and more efficient vehicles alone won't lead to a
reduction from today's emissions levels. We have to make a commitment
to funding quality, dependable public transit in order to achieve the
momentous goals of AB 32,” said Carli Paine, Transportation Program
Director for the Transportation and Land Use Coalition in Oakland.
“People
of color and low-income people will be most hurt by the Governor’s
proposal. They are least likely to own a car and most likely to be
dependent on public transit as their only option to get to school,
work, health care and other essential destinations. In the Bay Area
alone, the proposed cut of $109 million in operating funds is
equivalent to over 1 million hours in bus service. Losing this funding
will have devastating impacts on the daily lives of working people,
senior citizens and high school students who have no other
transportation options,” said Juliet Ellis, Executive Director of Urban
Habitat in Oakland.
“The
Older Women's League joins the voices of those who are alarmed by the
cuts in funding for public transit. How are we going to avoid the
dependence on automobiles if we have no alternatives in this fast
moving society? We must make public transit available and easy to use
if it is to become a viable alternative for driving on freeways,” said
Betty Perry, Public Policy Director for the Older Women's League of
California.
“The
misallocation of the spillover funds is like a giant game of ‘hide the
salami’ from a starving lion. The governor's team continues to spin and
misdirect these funds to prop up other worthy projects that have been
traditionally paid from the general fund. Despite the governor's green
proclamations, his budget team actions are completely disingenuous and
will result in great harm to the transit using public who depend on
healthy transit alternatives to get to work, school and health care,”
said Bart Reed, Executive Director of The Transit Coalition in Los
Angeles.
The Governor’s Proposed Budget:
• Would
redirect $1.1 billion in public transit funds to other programs, namely
school buses traditionally funded as part of the Department of
Education’s budget, regional center transportation services for those
with developmental disabilities traditionally funded by the California
Health and Human Services Agency budget, and past bond debt service.
• Instead
of using Proposition 1B bond funds to supplement funds for transit
capital as voters intended, the Governor’s budget proposes to use $600
million from Prop 1B to replace $700 million in cuts for public transit
capital such as buying or replacing new and clean fuel buses, shelters,
transfer stations, light rail and rail equipment, and constructing
extensions.
• The
proposed cuts include $411 million in cuts to critical operating funds
(known as the State Transit Assistance program) for the transit
agencies--a70% decrease from state funding allocated last year.
