We need to contact Governor Nixon & our statewide elected officials and urge him to devote state funding to rescue Missouri's public transportation. Public transit helps our economy, puts people to work, gets people to their jobs, and creates a vibrant, healthy community. Tell the governor what you think...
Governor Jay Nixon
(573) 751-3222
http://governor.mo.gov/con
http://transform.mo.gov/sh
and contact your state legislators here: http://www.senate.mo.gov/l
and toll-free here: 1-800-826-8855
Some good news: the Obama Administration announced an additional $43.7 Million for Local Energy Efficiency Improvements in Missouri, including $8.48 Million for St. Louis County and $3.7 M for STL City. According to the website (http://www.eecbg.energy.gov):
"What can these funds be used for?"
- "Development and Implementation of Transportation Programs to conserve energy...."
Contact Charlie Dooley and Francis Slay to demand movement on utilizing these dollars for public transit improvements:
County Executive Charlie Dooley:
Phone: (314) 615-7016
E-mail: cdooley@stlouisco.com
Mayor Francis Slay:
Phone: 314-622-3201
E-mail: http://stlcin.missouri.org/index/contactelect.cfm?ID=1
Posts
Thanks for posting this. I sent out a link to this to the "Use Stimulus Funding to Restore/Expand the Metrolink" facebook group.
ReplyDeleteI emailed our Governor. I think there may have to be a huge outcry either via mass emails and or protests to get through to people who have cars on this important issue.
ReplyDeleteI contacted Slay and Nixon but no one picked up the phone at Nixon's office...hopefully they're ringing off the hook with people complaining about Metrolink stuff!
ReplyDeleteI emailed Nixon and both senators. Slay is next. :)
ReplyDeleteI called Nixon, Jeff Smith (my State Sen.), Mike Colona (my State Rep), Slay, and Dooley.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Claire?
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteFYI everyone, when I contacted Charlie Dooley's office, they were very supportive, but clarified that the stimulus money can only be used for infrastructure for public trans (like building improvement, line maintenance, etc.) but not for more jobs or restoring bus lines, etc. I suggested they then find the money some other way because we need this, and they agreed, but I just wanted to put that clarification on the stimulus money out there. If people have other info re: the stipulations of stimulus money, that'd be helpful, of course.
Here is some new data from PolicyLink:
ReplyDeleteTransit capital funds can be used for operating costs
"Although the $6.9 billion in transit capital funds included in the Recovery Act are limited to capital projects, Public Advocates,a nonprofit law firm and advocacy organization, notes that the funding for Urbanized AreaFormula Grants (5307 funds) can be used by transit agencies for “preventive maintenance,” including the major costs of repairing buses, trains, and other transit vehicles, such as engine or transmission overhauls.These costs can constitute a significant portion of a transit agency’s operating costs. However, some Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have established restrictions on the allowable
percentage of 5307 funds that can be used for preventive maintenance. In communities where local transit agencies are in jeopardy of cutting services or raising fares due to service funding shortfalls, advocates should push for the maximum allowable allocation of 5307 monies into preventive maintenance."
- www.policylink.org