[NFBAZ-EastValleyChapter] immediate transit issue call to action

[Mark Feliz]

Joanne, in follow-up to the Arizona Republic’s article that Donald
recently sent out (repeated below), I’m wondering if you could send
out the following note to our affiliate’s list-serve as soon as
possible.



Dear fellow federationist:

If you haven’t heard yet, house bill 1246 has passed committee and
will soon go to the full house for vote. This bill would be
detrimental to Maricopa county’s public transportation system for many
years to come, as it would reduce the proportion of funds allocated to
public transportation by 85% (see Arizona Republic’s article below for
details).

Therefore, we are urging everyone to contact or Email their state
representatives and urge them to Oppose this legislation.

Below is a sample letter, which you can modify to your liking.







Dear representative:

Public transportation in Maricopa county is used by many individuals,
including, senior citizens, people with disabilities, low income,
individuals, and individuals who can no longer afford a car or car
insurance.
Please take into consideration that reducing the funds allocated to
public transportation, as this bill  would do, would adversely effect
a large proportion of the county’s citizens.

I am a blind individual, who depends on public transportation for many
aspects of my life, including getting to and from my place of
employment, doctor appointments, grocery stores and restaurants.

Driving is a privilege, that I have never been able to participate in.
Using Uber, or Lyft, is a luxury.
Continuing to invest in public transportation not only benefits those
who depend on it, but also alleviates traffic congestion, improves the
valley’s air quality and spurs economic development.



Therefore, I urge you to Not pass bill 1246, as it is not in the best
interest of Maricopa County residents.
Thank you, for taking the time to read and consider this email.





Legislators put Valley's public transit, freeways at risk March 19,
2023 The Republic Our community, our economy, and our quality of life
have thrived because of our past investments in a well-functioning,
balanced transportation system. While other communities in other
states have fallen behind, our region has been able to keep up with
growth and support a booming economy because of our commitment to our
freeway, street and transit infrastructure. Our success is a testament
to our local leaders who understood the critical connection between
transportation and our future economy when they came together nearly
40 years ago to pass the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and again
nearly 20 years later with its continuation. A plan that's now in
peril. I was proud to play a role in the continuation of the RTP
chairing the Yes on Proposition 400 campaign in 2004. We understood
then it was critical to have a multimodal plan to move people, goods
and services throughout the Valley in ways to reduce congestion,
improve our air quality and build strong communities. That is why
Proposition 400 took a balanced approach and called for new or
improved freeways, streets, additional bus routes, additional light
rail, additional dial-a-ride and more. Nearly 6 in 10 Maricopa County
voters said yes at the polls. It's hard to believe that the extension
of Proposition 400 was almost 20 years ago, and the existing funding
is nearing its expiration. What's more difficult to believe, however,
is that some members of our state Legislature appear set on rejecting
our past success as they debate a potential extension of Proposition
400. Instead, they seem intent on pushing an anti-transit agenda that
not only lacks the balance to meet our regional needs, but also would
likely fail at the ballot box. First, it is important to note that the
plan at the heart of the Proposition 400 extension has gone through an
extensive public process. It has been created to not only benefit the
entire region, but also to relieve congestion and maintain our air
quality. The plan has been unanimously approved by duly elected mayors
and reviewed by transportation experts. Rather than respecting this
diligent work by fellow elected officials, state lawmakers are
second-guessing the process and insisting that they know what's best
for the region. Namely, they want to gut transit by 85% significantly
destabilizing the region's transit system, including buses, rapid
buses, light rail and paratransit. Maricopa County is one of the
fastest-growing regions in the United States, with increasing
congestion. It makes little sense to shrink the allocation to transit
from the 2004 plan which has helped us avoid gridlock for the past 20
years. A plan that fails to address transit will also likely fail an
air quality test affecting jobs and opportunities throughout the
region. Defunding transit is also irresponsible from a financial
perspective. While these politicians may not like light rail, the fact
is, there are significant federal matching funds dedicated to many of
our planned extensions. If they got their way, those dollars would be
lost to other cities like Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis or
Salt Lake City, which continue to have active rail projects. If
Arizona lawmakers fail to act because of their continued opposition to
public transit which voters in Maricopa County have supported in at
least four elections it would push transportation needs onto the rest
of the state. More than 6 out of 10 Arizonans live in Maricopa County.
Without a local funding source, the county would be forced to lobby
for a larger share of federal transportation funds that would cut into
resources to meet the needs of the rest of greater Arizona. Which
means, there won't be enough money left to fund everyone's needs. Most
importantly, if this plan were to move forward lacking the necessary
investments to achieve regional balance, it would likely fail at the
ballot box. Why would cities like Phoenix, Tempe or Mesa vote to pass
a plan that strips their local investments and instead reallocates the
resources to the lesser populated suburban areas simply to appease a
few legislators? As much as their constituency wants streets or
freeways, our legislators must understand there are other denser urban
areas that equally demand transit. That's how regional cooperation
works and how a plan can win voter approval. More than 40 years of
transportation planning and investment have made the Valley one of the
most attractive places to start a family and build a business. This is
our chance to make sure it stays that way. J. Doug Pruitt served as
chairman of the Yes on 400 Committee in 2004. He is former chairman
and CEO of Sundt Construction and former national president of AGC of
America. Reach him at doug at jdpruittllc.com. Your Turn J. Doug Pruitt
Guest columnist Phoenix .