ACTION E-LERT: Support Governor Patrick’s Transportation Plan
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Support Governor Patrick’s Transportation Plan
The proposed transportation bill addresses vital environmental, public health, and economic development issues. Support the gas tax and the bill today!
We urge all our readers to contact your state representatives, write letters to the editor of your local newspaper, and submit comments on media issue blogs. If we don’t make our voices heard, the Massachusetts transportation system will continue to move backwards. [ Click here to find out who your elected officials are and how to contact them. ]
If you work downtown, take a lunchbreak next Wed. 3/11 and attend the public hearing @ 1:00 pm, State House, Room A-1. The legislature must see the grassroots support for this important bill.
And stop by the "MBTA Bake Sale" on Mon. 3/9 from 3:30-5pm in front of the State House sponsored by the T-Riders Union and On The Move Coalition.
>>> more info
Why support the bill?
- The proposal balances reform with raising revenues to bring our transportation system into the 21st century.
- The unacceptable alternative is continuous increase in fares and decrease in service for MBTA riders-- the hardest hit will be the working class. If this legislation does not pass, expect an MBTA fare increase to about $2.70 per ride, and about a 50% reduction in service on evenings and weekends starting this summer.
- Increased funding for infrastructure improvements in non-Boston areas is included.
- The bill isn't just about a gas tax. It commits the state to the creation of “Complete Streets” – including facilities for walking, bicycling, and transit, "prioritizing alternative modes" that will "reduce congestion, conserve fuel, and improve air quality."
- The proposed "Healthy Transportation Compact" brings together the Secretaries of Transportation, Health, and Environment to set policies that will "coordinate land use, transportation, and public health policy."
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Click here for for a press release from MassPIRG and Conservation Law Foundation signed by 14 organizations. LivableStreets Alliance along with many other organizataions support the increase in the gas tax as the best option to raise the needed revenues.
And in today's Globe, Bierman reports: "Massachusetts business groups yesterday endorsed a 25-cent increase in the state gas tax, a more aggressive hike than Governor Deval Patrick's 19-cent request, saying that the state needs to move even faster to fix its ailing network of roads and bridges to encourage a strong business climate." [
click here for the entire article ]
And read Bluestone and Pollack's op-ed in the Globe:
"Gas tax: Paying cents to save big bucks."
Have friends in other parts of Massachusetts?
It is critical that the legislature hears from citizens throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Please spread the word to your friends and colleagues in other parts of the state. Writing letters to the editor to local newspapers, calling legislators, and attending public hearings makes all the difference.
Springfield : Wed, March 4, 4:00 pm, Springfield Technical Community College
South Shore : Thurs, March 5, time and location TBD
Methuen : Tues, March 10, 5:00 pm, Methuen City Hall, 41 Pleasant Street
Boston : Wed, March 11, 1:00 pm, State House, Room A-1
Additional information
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Click here to read the entire bill in PDF form
Massachusetts State Website:
http://www.youmovemassachusetts.org