$20 Million for Transit Funding in Jeopardy
By Cara | April 28, 2009
Thanks to Keith Tubbs for posting this on facebook:
Missouri House Speaker Ron Richard and House Budget Chairman Allen Icet announced on Thursday, April 23 that they are redirecting their plan for the State of Missouri to spend Federal Stabilization/Stimulus Funds. A new bill filed by them does not currently include transit funding for Metro.
Previously on April 14, Budget Chairman Icet, with the support of Speaker Ron Richard, introduced HB 20 which allocated $20 million to Metro from the Federal Budget Stabilization Fund.
“We’re very concerned with the impact on jobs that the reduction in the transportation system would cause,” said Rep. Icet. “We’re trying to step up to reach out to Metro on a one-time basis to help them get to where they need to be next year they can become a self-sustaining system.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 04/15/09]
The service reductions Metro was forced to implement on March 30, 2009 affected thousands in the St. Louis region. With this unexpected turn of events, Metro will be unable to restore access to jobs, schools, businesses and transit services for the elderly and disabled.
Metro will continue to fight for our riders’ access to transit. If you are concerned about the state of public transit in the St. Louis region, the leadership of the State of Missouri needs to hear from you. Now is the time show your support for emergency state transit funding.
Missouri House Speaker, Ron Richard – ronald.richard@house.mo.gov
(573)751-2173
Missouri House Budget Chairman, Allen Icet – allen.icet@house.mo.gov
(573)751-1247
Missouri Senate Appropriations Chairman, Gary Nodler -
gary_nodler@senate.mo.gov
(573)751-2306
Please call these folks and let them know that Mass Transit is vital to the region.
Keith Tubbs
St. Louis Young Democrats Political Chair
Young Democrats of Missouri Committeeman
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