\ninitiatives, like health-care reform. But here we’ve got rallies about
\ndefending part of the shared social fabric.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Off-duty public transit workers in Atlanta plastered large red X’s on
\nbuses and trains (with permission) to highlight the severe budget shortfall
\nthat threatens as much as 30 percent of the city’s transit network. Riders
\njoined them in calling on state legislators to protect the transit network, asking
\nfor both short- and long-term relief for the system, which has a $120 million
\noperating deficit.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It’s the first in a series of eight “Save Transit!” rallies around the <\/p>\n There are hundreds more cities with networks under threat: Fifty-nine <\/p>\n “America’s transit systems are in crisis just when we need them the most—for access to jobs, education, health care and opportunity,” Laura Barrett, <\/p>\n Elana Schor at Streetsblog DC reports<\/a> on the corresponding inaction in Washington:<\/p>\n Despite the Obama <\/p>\n Meanwhile, a Maybe the better Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n Hey, look: Denver has a bike-sharing program<\/a><\/p>\n Massey denies time off for workers to attend funerals of mine victims<\/a><\/p>\n
\ncountry organized by the Transportation
\nEquity Network<\/a> (TEN), an alliance of local advocacy groups. They’re aimed
\nat state lawmakers who can help bail out the transit systems. Events are
\nscheduled for Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Minneapolis, St. Paul, San
\nFrancisco, Kansas City, and St. Louis.<\/p>\n
\npercent (!) of public transit systems have cut service or raised fares since
\nJanuary 2009 and many others are considering similar steps, according to a recent report<\/a> by the American Public Transportation
\nAssociation. The Transportation for America campaign has a chilling map<\/a> of regional transit systems under threat.<\/p>\n
\nexecutive director of TEN, said in a prepared statement. “Service cuts and fare
\nhikes are hitting low-income people, people of color, students, retirees and
\nthe disabled especially hard, and they’re robbing all of us of a proven engine
\nof economic growth. TEN is calling on Congress to keep America moving by
\nletting our transit agencies use federal funds for operating expenses.”<\/p>\n
\nadministration’s infusion of $8.4 billion in stimulus money and public goodwill<\/a>, transit budgets remain stretched to the
\nbreaking point amid no sign of Senate movement on the second round<\/a> of infrastructure spending that the House
\napproved in December.<\/p>\n
\nfinancial regulatory overhaul and an upcoming climate change bill continue to
\ndominate the upper chamber’s schedule, leaving some of the capital’s leading
\ntransportation policy players to abandon hope of a new jobs bill before
\nNovember’s midterm elections.<\/p>\n
\napproach would be to mark our lawmakers with red X’s—fire a senator, keep a
\nbus line running. Or put the senators to work driving buses? It might be good for them to do something useful.<\/p>\n