BART Rider Action Alert: State support for public transit at stake

Dear Rider:

We at BART want to make you aware that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the State Legislature are considering permanently eliminating the very program that funds public transit. That program is called the State Transportation Assistance (STA) fund.  They may slash these funds in order to once again address the ever-increasing state budget deficit.

Over the past two years, the Legislature and the Governor have diverted nearly $3 billion in transit money to the state budget shortfall, which in turn leaves us in a huge budget shortfall.  This has occurred as transit ridership has increased in record-breaking numbers, in part because of high gas prices, traffic congestion and public’s desire to fight global warming.  Cutting transit programs is a terrible prescription for California just as historic laws urge people to use public transportation to meet greenhouse gas mandates.

Now is the time for MORE—not less—public transit.

BART has communicated the following requests to our state elected officials:
 
1. Maintain the $306 million STA funding level for the current budget year.
2. Oppose elimination of future transit funding.
3. Identify a secure source of transit funding to support long-term state and local goals.

These cuts are under consideration right now.  If you have an opinion, contact the Governor and your state legislator immediately.  Here’s how:

Governor:
http://tinyurl.com/CaliforniaGovernor  

State Assembly:
http://tinyurl.com/CaliforniaHouse

State Senate:
http://senate.ca.gov/senators