[nfbwatlk] Tell your legislators to support the House transportation proposal

[Jacob Struiksma]

Last night the House Transportation Committee passed a transportation
proposal that gives Washington a more balanced transportation system than
the Senate proposal. This proposal gives Sound Transit the full requested
authority for light rail expansion as well as increased funding for transit
and bike/ped projects throughout the state. In contrast, the Senate proposal
left Sound Transit and bike/ped projects short of their needs as well as
prevented action on low carbon fuels.
Now that negotiations are beginning, we need to actively support the House
approach to funding transportation in Washington. Click here to email your
legislator today!
Transportation has a huge impact on the economy, environment, and our
quality of life. Pollution from driving is the largest source of greenhouse
gas emissions in Washington State, and runoff from our cars is the largest
pollutant of our lakes, rivers and Puget Sound.
We need to advocate for a responsible proposal that gives transportation
choices to all of Washington. The House gives us this opportunity. Click
here to tell your legislators to support the House transportation proposal.
This is how the two chambers differ:
Sound Transit gets the full requested local authority amount to ask voters
to support a 3rd phase of light rail expansion from Tacoma to Everett.
Expansion that will help the Puget Sound region expand high capacity transit
and relieve congestion.
The House increased direct state funding in transportation choices from 3.5%
to 7.6% of the total budget. We believe Washington deserves a balanced
transportation system that moves us forward.
The House also removed the poison pill provision that forced a choice
between increased transit funding and requiring cleaner fuels.
The house proposal is far from perfect - it lacks investments for reducing
stormwater pollution from roads and does not significantly increase
maintenance of existing roadways from the Senate passed version. But unlike
their colleagues in the Senate, the House chose not to play political games
with our state's transportation budget.
Thank you,


Hilary Franz
Executive Director
P.S. Effective messages are personal. Please take a few minutes to
personalize your message before sending! Click here to contact your
legislators now.