Telling the Truth: Transit Winning Where it Counts

from the Community Transit Association:




Telling the Truth: Transit Winning Where it Counts


In his recent Director's Corner and during a presentation earlier this month (PDF)(148 KB) at the West Virginia Transit Association's Annual Conference, CTAA Executive Director Dale J. Marsico, CCTM, urged our members and transit advocates to "talk about the transit we know," and to begin a local campaign of "telling the truth about transit." In this installment of my On the Move essays, let's take a look at that truth, and share some good news about transit about which many people may be unaware.

In 2010, across the country, public transit has an 82 percent success rate in local ballot initiatives, referenda and elections. That's right -- more than four in five such initiatives have passed since January. In most of the cases, people actually voted to either raise or continue local taxes of varying form to support community and public transit. Earlier this week, that run of success continued in Olympia, Washington, where initial estimates placed voters squarely in favor of a two-tenths of a cent sales-tax increase to avert local transit cuts and to even support a small service boost. In early August, across the state of Michigan, 17 out of 18 such ballot initiatives passed, some with majorities of as much as 78 percent in favor. The Detroit Free Press called the victories "An Unambiguous Vote of Confidence for Public Transit" and noted in an editorial, "The election results show that virulent anti-transit, anti-tax and anti-regional attitudes reflect a minority of voters. Politicians should take note..."

The role of transit in improving people's lives, in connecting them with jobs, with health care and with all of the other destinations that make up our daily lives is a vital one -- and one that is being affirmed by the American public at increasing levels here in 2010. So next time you're presented with an opportunity to Tell the Truth About Transit, be sure to point out community and public transit's enviable success rate at the ballot box and with voters across this nation.


-- Scott Bogren, Communications Director, CTAA


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