Update: Legislative bill introduced

Did you know public transit in SE WI is in a state of financial crisis? Transit is currently paid for by property taxes, and without additional funding, even more drastic reductions will take place.  There is a solution – dedicated funding and a regional approach.  It is critical that supporters of transit solutions for SE WI take action NOW. 

Transit cuts affect our economy, and add to our region’s high unemployment.  An adequately funded, regional transit infrastructure leads to job creation, attraction and retention of talent, and the connection of workers to jobs.

Did you know that*:

• Milwaukee County Transit System’s (MCTS) service reductions reduced total bus route miles by nearly 20 percent between 2001 and 2007?
• 1,713 fewer employers were located within walking distance of a bus stop in 2007 than in 2001?
• At a minimum 40,507 jobs became inaccessible by transit between 2001 and 2007 due to MCTS service cuts?
• Without dedicated funding for transit more than 100,000 jobs in locations once accessible by transit have become inaccessible in the past 3 years?

*Source: Center for Economic Development, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee “Out of Service: The Impact of Transit Cuts on Access to Jobs in Metropolitan Milwaukee,” 2008.

Last week the efforts to save transit and invest in growing southeastern Wisconsin reached a huge milestone.  The draft Regional Transit Authority (RTA) bill has now been introduced into the WI State Legislature.

SB-511 was introduced on February 2, 2010 and has been referred to the referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources.  SB-511 was introduced by Senators Taylor, Lehman, Plale and Coggs and is cosponsored by Representatives Barca, Grigsby, Turner, Sinicki, Zepnick, Kessler, Toles, Young, Pasch and Fields.

Businesses have spoken up but we need citizens to speak up too!  (that’s you)  Transit connects our community – people to jobs, people to schools, people to opportunity.  YOU CAN HELP stop the downward spiral of our local transit systems by calling your State Legislators and telling them to you support dedicated funding and regional solutions for transit.   

Make 2 phone calls: 1) Your Senator and 2) Your Assembly Representative.  Ask them if they support SB-511.  If you’re shy, consider calling in the evening and leaving a message, writing a letter or sending an email.  The important thing is that they hear from their constituents on this issue!  To find out who your representatives are visit: http://waml.legis.state.wi.us/ 

Stay tuned throughout February and March – we will be sending out updates as the bill makes its way through the legislative process.

Moving Forward Together,
Coalition for Advancing Transit (C.A.T.)
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A Monumental Week for Transit in Wisconsin

After years of hard work and coalition building, we saw an unprecedented group of leaders and supporters come together Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at a press conference hosted by Tim Sullivan, CEO of Bucyrus International and Governor Jim Doyle.

Their message was simple: our state legislators need to move forward now with legislation that would allow Wisconsin communities to form regional transit authorities and ensure that local bus systems get the investment and infrastructure support through dedicated funding they need. 

This is an important step that will ensure Wisconsin is a part of future transit developments such as high speed rail, urban streetcar systems and commuter rail.  For a summary and links to video coverage of the press conference and media and press articles, visit http://tiny.cc/TNOWupdate at C.A.T. group site, which features the most recent update from our partner, Transit Now.  

The Southeastern Regional Transit Authority’s (SERTA), which was formed during the 2009 state budget process to support the KRM Commuter Rail initiative, has started a new blog.  The site will provides a continuously updated source of information regarding transit-related media coverage, events, rallies and meetings in which you can become involved.  It will also feature a citizen forum and testimonials in support of transit.  Currently highlighted on this site is an Editorial by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board (“Milwaukee needs a transit authority now” Sunday, January 23, 2010), and links to videos posted by TDA of Wisconsin of business leaders and citizens supporting this effort.  To access all this great information, visit the SERTA blog at: http://tiny.cc/SERTAblog 

WHAT’S NEXT?  Things will move very quickly over the next few weeks – it’s all hands on deck!

• URGENCY: The legislative session is now underway, with just 2 months left to advance the bill through the Assembly and the Senate, and just a few days per month for voting. A challenging, but do-able, task. It will take the voices of all advocates.
• Co-sponsors of the Regional Transit and Jobs Investment Act are: Senator John Lehman, Senator Lena Taylor, Rep. Tamara Grigsby, Rep. Peter Barca, and Rep. Bob Turner. The bill provides the funding and regional framework to integrate buses and KRM Commuter Rail, preserve and enhance bus systems, and keep the KRM project moving ahead. It also calls for local decision-making and property tax relief.
• The first step is that the RTA bill will get referred to a committee. From there, expect a hearing to be announced in the in coming days. When the hearing is announced, put it on your calendar! Strong support at the hearing in Madison is absolutely vital.

Now it’s important for EVERY person to show their support. Please take a moment to contact your legislators and thank them if they are a co-sponsor. They worked extremely hard to find consensus on this bill. If they are not, ask what they are doing to advance the Regional Transit Bill. Even if you have contacted them in the past, now is the time to remind them to about the urgent need for the RTA. Find your legislator here.

Also, note that the Coalition for Advancing Transit (C.A.T.) has updated its logo, thanks to the generous support of one of our members.  Look for this logo and icon to be distributed and used by our members and partners – there are many organizations and individuals working together on this issue across the state!  If you’d like to know more, please feel free to contact us.

We thank you for your continued support and active involvement in helping move transit forward in southeastern Wisconsin.  The time truly is now – as things happen we continue to send out updates and keep you in the loop. 

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Journal Sentinel supports sales tax

Happy Weekend Transiteers!

Below are links and/or to two recent articles supporting transit, and specifically local dedicated funding for buses.  One blogger argues the case for transit investments as a way to address the issue of drunk driving in this state and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel indicated their support for a 1/2 cent sales tax as a source of dedicated funding for our transit system which will remove transit from the property tax (below). 

The Journal Sentinel is asking for your opinion.  As one of our members stated when forwarding this out, please take a moment and thank them for their stand and a reiteration of some of the excellent points they raise and/or important statistics or arguments they they did not raise. e.g. transit keeps our roads safer by giving drivers who lack skills and/or have unsafe vehicles an alternative to driving.  There is a link to the editorial department at the bottom of this article.

Also, if you have not yet had a chance to share your Transit Story with us, please do so!  Visit http://tiny.cc/transitstory – it won’t take but a few minutes.

Let’s Get Moving!
Kristi Luzar, Program Manager
Urban Economic Development Association of WI (UEDA)

BLOG ARTICLE – Drunk Driving & Transit: http://tiny.cc/WYncW

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel EDITORIAL – Posted: Jan. 7, 2010

Approve the sales tax
The state Legislature should act in this session to take Milwaukee County buses off the property tax and provide the dedicated funding source the system needs.  http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/80950322.html

Thank you for your support for transit!

The Coalition for Advancing Transit would like to THANK all our members and partners for their active support and commitment throughout 2009.  We have made so much progress and could not have done it without the every day, individual actions of citizens who care about transit and the economic growth of southeastern Wisconsin.

A special thanks to all those who joined us at the TRANSIT RALLY on December 5, 2009 with labor, business and community leaders and nearly 300 citizens at Veterans Memorial Park in West Allis to urge legislators to quickly advance Regional Transit Authority Legislation and dedicated funding for buses.  The focus of the rally was on the major job creation and economic growth that would come from improved regional transit and an RTA, and the crucial need to address the approaching financial meltdown of our local transit systems.  For highlights, pictures and links to media coverage of the rally, click here.

WHAT NEXT?

As we head into 2010, we will keep you updated on the latest events, information sessions and legislative action.  We know so many of you have worked really hard to stay in touch with your legislators and keep this issue on their radar over the past few months.  Please continue the good work!  

In the meantime, we are collecting transit stories from real people who depend on and use our bus systems in order to better show how the transit crisis has a real face. 

Has the transit fare increase of 50% over the last 7 years made it harder for you to get to and from work?  How will the lack of live operators starting next week impact your ability to move around town?  When is the last time you rode the bus and how did it work out?  Visit this survey link to share YOUR transit story:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RGZSNQZ

Share your story and ask a friend to share theirs - in this way more and more people in the public will see the impact the transit crisis (and the lack of dedicated funding) has on our community.  

Thank you for taking the time to do this.  Feel free to pass on to fellow transit advocates and be sure to check out the links above and below for more ways you can get connected to saving regional transit for SE WI. 

Best wishes for a Happy New Year from your friends at the Coalition for Advancing Transit!
Let’s Get Moving!
Kristi Luzar, Program Manager, UEDA
Coalition for Advancing Transit (C.A.T.)
(414) 562-9904  *  kristi@uedawi.org  

Curious to know how we got here?  Click here to access a “Transit Milestones” document – it will give you a good sense of what’s happened and where we need to go from here. 

If you are a constituent in the districts of Senator Tim Carpenter, Representative Peggy Krusik, Senator Bob Wirch or Representative David Cullen, they would like to hear from you on this issue!  Let them know that this issue is important and we need them to move forward with RTA legislation quickly in 2010. 

Senator Carpenter:        (608) 266-8535 or sen.carpenter@legis.wisconsin.gov

Representative Krusik:    (608) 266-1733 or rep.krusick@legis.wisconsin.gov 

Senator Wirch:              (608) 267-8979 or sen.wirch@legis.wisconsin.gov

Representative Cullen:    (608) 267-9836 pr rep.cullen@legis.wisconsin.gov

Looking for more information on transit, RTAs, dedicated funding and economic growth?  Click here to access a wealth of fact sheets, presentations and other resources by the Coalition for Advancing Transit.

Rally for Transit – TOMORROW Dec. 5th

Join us and Rally for Transit, Jobs and Economic Growth
Saturday, December 5
1:00 PM
Veterans Memorial Park – National Avenue at 70th St. West Allis, WI
http://bit.ly/VMParkMap
On bus routes: 54, 76, and 18
Park on west side of Market Square parking lot (near Pick N Save), enter off National Avenue just west of 70th Street

Rally to urge Legislators to Get RTA Moving Now!

Job connections and job creation must be a top priority and they rely on a vibrant regional transit network and an RTA.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving we…

• Are thankful for our local bus systems who often get blamed when government fails us
• Are thankful for workers who make our city strong, even as they tolerate service cuts and fare increases
• Are thankful for students who ride our buses, and believe they will take them to school every day
• Are thankful for employers who are not afraid to hire people from all over even if they do not drive
• Are thankful for elected officials who understand we need buses and they are integral to our economic health

And NEXT YEAR:  We want to be thankful for the State legislators who “got it” in time to save our County buses.  JOIN US – this Saturday, December 5^th at 1:00PM and rally for transit.

We must create the environment where the economy and jobs can grow: transit is a necessity and an RTA is needed to support a good transit network.

Transit cuts are imminent and will hurt businesses, workers, and tax payers when people can’t get to work, school, shopping, healthcare. Unemployment hurts everyone. We must have adequate, dedicated transit funding now.

Transit dependent people rely on transit services as their lifeline.

Urgency – dedicated funding for buses is needed now. We must be ready by January to advance RTA legislation. We cannot afford to wait and watch our bus system crumble and important infrastructure investments pass us by.

SE WI is together on the need for an RTA. Property tax relief is crucial for Milwaukee.

Coalition for Advancing Transit (C.A.T.) Update…

At the quarterly meeting on November 18^th C.A.T. updated members on the draft RTA legislation that is currently being worked on by state legislators.  Kevin Benish from Assembly Representative Tamara Grigsby’s office presented on the various components of this legislation.  To access a copy of the powerpoint that gives an overview of the draft RTA legislation, please click here (file name: 2009 Nov Draft RTA…).  It is still in draft form and has NOT been introduced yet. 

On November 29 the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had an article on the challenges facing regional transit in SE WI, discussing the critical need for RTA legislation:  Regional Transit Authority stuck in transit funding tangle.  Our window of opportunity is short:            

• Nov-Dec 2009:  Draft RTA legislative bill is fine-tuned, and legislative sponsors gained.  Public support MUST be visible and strong!
• January 2010:  Legislative floor session begins.  RTA bill introduced; we need an all-out effort in terms of advocacy and public visibility.
• January 2010:  Milwaukee and Kenosha begin instituting more fare increases and service cuts.  Racine to follow in 2011.  They need our support.
• April 2010:  Legislative session ends, along with the last realistic chance to pass an RTA bill for years and ensure the economic health of SE WI for years.  We cannot miss this opportunity for transit.

What Can We Do? Contact Your Elected Officials

• Call them!  Let them know this is an important issue for you, as a constituent.  That is the way to have the most impact.  Follow-up with a letter or email.
• Tell them Southeast Wisconsin wants RTA legislation to move forward this January and that it MUST include dedicated funding for local transit.
• Ask them what they are doing to ensure our local bus systems remain viable and people have access to jobs.

WHO TO CALL?  Your Assembly Representative and State Senator

• Click here to access links to also contact State Legislative leaders and talking points. 
• Don’t know which district you’re in?  Call Toll-free: 1-800-362-9472 or visit www.legis.wisconsin.gov and click on the “Who Represents Me?” link in the middle of the page for an address search. 

Lastly, we invite you to attend a TRANSIT RALLY!

We are at a pivotal point when action is urgently needed to get the RTA and dedicated funding for transit moving forward.  Our window of opportunity is VERY short.  Let’s make our voices heard loud and clear!  And, show our commitment to gaining dedicated funding and regional coordination for local transit systems that is so important to our economic growth, jobs and quality of life.

Saturday, December 5 at 1:00 PM
Veterans Memorial Park, National Avenue at 70th St. in West Allis, WI
On bus routes: 54, 76, and 18
Park on west side of Market Square parking lot (near Pick N Save), enter off National Avenue just west of 70th St.)

Please forward this information to your friends, neighbors and colleagues!  Invite them to attend the TRANSIT RALLY and show our support for the economic health of SE WI…

Coalition for Advancing Transit to meet and more updates

JOIN US AT THE NEXT COALITION FOR ADVANCING TRANSIT MEETING!

Wednesday, November 18 ~ 8:30AM

Eager to learn what’s happened on the regional transit front over the past 2 months?  Are you ready to get engaged in saving our local bus systems?

This Coalition for Advancing Transit Meeting will feature a brief update on the current status of draft legislation that will allow Wisconsin transit systems to organize regionally and gain dedicated local funding.

• State Assembly Representative Tamara Grigsby has shown leadership on this issue.  We have invited her to come and briefly outline the key points of the draft bill and share what we can do to help support it.
• You will hear from local elected representatives exactly why our local transit systems are in peril and we must act NOW.

EVENT DETAILS: Registration & Refreshments begin at 8:00AM, program from 8:30-10:00AM. 

Location: Manpower International, 100 Manpower Place, Milwaukee.  East of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (3rd Street), off of Cherry Street and just north of downtown Milwaukee.  Parking is available on Cherry Street and in the Visitors Lot north of the building (on Cherry).  Bus routes 19, 80, 57 and 15 all run near Manpower. Visit www.ridemcts.com to plan your trip or call the Bus Line at (414) 344-6711 (M-F 6am to 7pm, Sat-Sun 8am-4:30pm) for assistance.

RSVP to Kristi Luzar, Program Manger at UEDA: Call (414) 562-9904 or email kristi@uedawi.org

UPDATES…GET ENGAGED TODAY!

Transit plays a pivotal role in our growth as a vibrant economic region and state, and our success in competing in the global marketplace.  We cannot emphasize enough how critical it is that RTA legislation moves forward in 2010 and it can only happen with the collective pull of members and individuals like you.  THE TIME IS NOW for us to act and ensure that southeastern Wisconsin can meet the needs of individuals, families, businesses and others that live, work and play here.  

Missed the 8^th Annual Community Development Summit? “Regional Transit – Get On Board” had over 170 attendees and attracted a diverse audience of community and business leaders from throughout the region, who discussed what we can do to support regional transit in SE WI. Click here to read a summary of what happened.

Also, Milwaukee County Treasurer Dan Diliberti wrote a recent editorial on the challenges facing Milwaukee County this past Friday.  Click here to read what they are discussing in terms of Milwaukee County’s ability to continue providing public transit services.  For more information, feel free to visit the Files page on the C.A.T. group site to access fact sheets such as “2009 Transit Is Essential,” “2009 Fall Report from MCTS”, “2009 Transit & Economic Development,” and many other materials.

Existing local transit systems throughout the region are facing severe service reductions over the next year, which will have a series of critical ripple effects throughout various sectors in our community, including those who are seeking work, special needs populations, the over 15% of households in this region who do not have a car, employers seeking access to potential workers, etc. 

• Contact Your Assembly Representative TODAY and ask them to continue moving forward with RTA legislation that includes dedicated funding for local transit. 
• We must ensure that the draft bill they have been working on stays at the top of their priority list and is ready for the upcoming legislative session.
• Don’t know who your Assembly Representative is?  Visit www.legis.wisconsin.gov and click on the “Who Represents Me?” link in the middle of the page for an address search or call Toll-free: 1-800-362-9472.
• And, contact the Governor’s office and thank them for continuing to work on this very important issue:  Phone: (608)266-1212 or Fax: (608)267-8983 
  Mail to Office of the Governor, 115 E. State Capitol, Madison, WI 53702
  Visit www.wisgov.state.wi.us/contact.asp?locid=19 to contact online

Want to get more involved?  Interested in working with the Coalition for Advancing Transit (C.A.T.) to reach out to your neighbors, colleagues, churches, and others?  We will keep you informed as legislation moves forward, as well as of any local events or updates that we receive on transit-related developments.  For more information on CAT, click here  or contact Kristi at 414-562-9904 or kristi@uedawi.org to get engaged in the Coalition.  We will get you in the loop!

Join us on Friday, September 18: “Regional Transit – Get On Board”

Is regional transit for SE WI ready to roll, or stopped in its tracks?
The Urban Economic Development Association of Wisconsin (UEDA) in cooperation with the Greater Milwaukee Committee and the City of Milwaukee will be hosting their 8^th Annual Community Development Summit on September 18, 2009.  “Regional Transit: Get on Board,” will be held on Friday, Sept. 18, 2009 from 7:30AM to Noon, at the Italian Conference Center, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee.  

Attendees will hear from Mayor Tom Barrett, State of Wisconsin Secretary of Administration Michael Morgan, and Keynote Speaker Scott Bernstein, Founder and President of the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) in Chicago as well as a reaction panel of business and civic leaders from the region who will discuss transit and its impact on their organizations.  Attendees will be asked to interact with presenters and participants throughout the morning to help facilitate a healthy discussion and will have also have the opportunity to give a video Testimonial  - tell them your story!

The event is open to the public and online registration is available at www.ueadawi.org or call 414-562-9904.

Governor Doyle announces proposal for RTAs in SE WI

On September 8, 2009, Governor Doyle announced a framework proposal that was crafted with legislators from southeastern Wisconsin to improve bus and rail service in Milwaukee, Kenosha and Racine through a Regional Transit Authority (RTA).  The Coalition for Advancing Transit (C.A.T.) is encouraged by Governor Doyle’s leadership on addressing the need for a truly regional transit infrastructure that encompasses both bus and rail transit throughout the three counties.  We also thank our State legislators for their efforts to find solutions for the significant challenges facing transit in our region.  

The Coalition for Advancing Transit is pleased to see that the Governor honored Milwaukee County’s referendum by including property tax relief and a sales tax of 0.5% dedicated solely to transit.  The framework detailed in this proposal will allow Milwaukee County to immediately address the urgent need for funding its local bus transit, while phasing in Racine and Kenosha with the end goal being one regional authority.  It will also strengthen the KRM’s application for the FTA’s New Starts funding by showing a regional framework and dedicated funding.

The ability to form and fund an RTA is a critical starting point for creating an integrated, regional transit system that will benefit our cities, counties and state as a whole.  The Coalition for Advancing Transit continues to support the eventual implementation of an RTA in southeastern Wisconsin beyond the three proposed counties and dedicated funding source for transit of up to a 0.5 percent sales tax and resulting property tax relief. 

We encourage our regional elected officials to move forward quickly in supporting companion legislation through the Assembly and Senate to ensure we do not lose the momentum created by this announcement.  Meanwhile, we urge local leaders to appoint the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority (SERTA) signed into state law as part of the recent budget and finalize the New Starts application to the Federal Transit Administration.

The Governor’s proposal will assist this region in adding the missing elements of a viable, financially sound, regional transit system that ensures their vitality and growth and allows southeastern Wisconsin to make significant investments that connect our region and enhance our economic development and competitiveness. 

The principles of the Governor’s proposed framework can be viewed here:  http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=17557

STAY TUNED!  As legislative developments occur, C.A.T. will let members and partners know how they can continue to get involved and keep these important steps moving forward so that we have successful outcomes for transit in SE WI in the next year.

Call to Action! Thank your legislators and let’s get transit moving again…

We thank you for your continued hard work and support of transit issues.  On Friday, July 9, the Coalition for Advancing Transit (C.A.T.) released a statement to the media, applauding Governor Doyle and the State Legislature for the inclusion of RTA legislation in the 2009-2011 state budget.  We are sending a similar letter/statement to key state legislators from SE WI this week.

However, while this budget proposal makes significant strides, it does not provide a dedicated regional sales tax to remove transit from the property tax throughout the region.  Our local communities will face funding shortfalls starting in 2010, leaving them with no choice but to significantly cut service and raise fares, creating a further burden on residents, consumers, businesses and others in southeastern Wisconsin.

The Coalition for Advancing Transit is asking its members and partners to join us in supporting the following:

• That the Governor and our state legislators work to improve upon the foundation set in the budget by enacting separate legislation that will provide the missing elements of a viable, financially sound, regional transit system and adequately fund Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha’s transit systems.
• That SE WI moves forward quickly with establishing the SERTA board and to support progress on the KRM project.  The FTA application is due this September.

Additionally, the Steering Committee agreed that C.A.T. should hold firm on our “4 Transit Principles” and continue to advocate for:

• A strong multi-modal transportation system for SE WI that connects people to jobs and travelers to locations throughout the region as an essential part of growing our economy. 
• Regional coordination around transit, creating a unified voice that can access federal investments to improve regional linkages for jobs.
• A dedicated funding source for transit in SE WI communities that is stable and can help prevent significant cuts in service.
• Property tax relief by removing current local transit costs from the property tax and shifting them to a 0.5% dedicated sales tax.

NEXT STEPS….
We know that we have asked so much of our members and partners over the past 6-9 months in terms of reaching out and contacting our elected officials on this issue.  Unfortunately, our work in that regard is not over!  We are asking you to do 2 things:

1. Call, write or email Governor Doyle.  Thank him for his continued work on transit and support for a regional solution in SE WI – SERTA is an important step forward.  However, don’t lose the momentum – we need to ALSO develop a plan that will provide stable, adequate funding for our local buses so they enhance our regional transit system.  See below for contact links/information.
2. Call, write or email your state legislator AND/OR the leadership.  Thank them for their continued support of transit in SE WI throughout the state budget process.  Ask them to continue moving forward to work on a legislative solution that will provide stable, adequate funding for our local buses so they enhance our regional transit system.  See below for contact links/information.

The Governor and legislators have already held initial meetings to get this process started, therefore, it is SO important that we let them know we support their efforts and encourage them to get started as soon as possible!   Take 5 minutes out of your day to call, write or email them!  Our efforts to keep transit front and center can only help ensure the vitality of transit operations in Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha and allow southeastern Wisconsin to make significant investments that connect our region and enhance our economic development and competitiveness.  We can’t thank you all enough for your continued work on this important issue!!

CONTACT INFORMATION

Governor Jim Doyle: 
By Phone: (608) 266-1212 *   By Fax: (608) 267-8983 
By Mail:         Office of the Governor, 115 E. State Capitol, Madison, WI 53702
By E-mail: Visit www.wisgov.state.wi.us/contact.asp?locid=19 to contact online

Don’t know who your state legislator is?  Visit www.legis.wisconsin.gov and click on the “Who Represents Me?” link in the middle of the page to find your state legislators. After inputting your address, it will bring up their contact information.