Today the State Legislature passed the 2007-08 State
Budget. This budget drastically cuts public transit investment, leaving transit
riders stranded in every corner of the State.
The budget redirects $1.259 billion from public transit
to the state General Fund. Transit agencies across California may now be
forced to cut services and/or increase fares.
Bill
Allayaud, Sierra Club Legislative Director noted,
“Cutting public transit is the
wrong move if we are to take serious steps to address global warming, which is
what the people of California expect their government to do and which this
Legislature committed to do when they passed Assembly Bill 32
.”
The implications of this budget reach more than the
mainstream environmental community. The Transportation and Land Use Coalition
(TALC) has been leading the effort in the Bay Area to preserve state transit
funding. Carli Paine, TALC’s
Transportation Program Director has been working with seniors and other groups
who utilize public transit. “If California is really going to be a leader in
improving mobility, reducing transportation costs and congestion, and addressing
climate change, we have to invest in a world-class public transit system. The
project delays, service cuts, and fare hikes resulting from the state budget
cuts will move us farther away from our transportation and greenhouse gas
emission reduction goals,” said Paine.
And what about respect for California’s voters? Last
November, voters went to the polls and approved $48 billion in public investment
bonds, including Proposition 1B, which was supposed to provide new money for
public transit. This budget now uses that money to replace regular transit
resources. “The voters articulated their support for public transportation by
passing Propositions 1A and 1B in 2006. This budget subverts the will of the
voters who were told that these funds would add resources for public transit
that serves everyone,” said Sharon
Sprowls, Interim Executive Director of Odyssey, a statewide
transportation organization based in Sacramento.
Transit agencies around the state report they will now
be facing cuts in service, reductions and delays in capital projects, and fare
hikes as a result of the budget just adopted. Many low-income transit riders
will also not be receiving cost-of-living adjustments in this budget and will be
even less able to afford current or increased fares.
“This budget will mean more single-passenger cars on the
road. With our population expected to increase to 50 million people by 2030, we
need more transit, not less, to keep our cities moving.” concluded Emily Rusch,
Transportation Advocate with CALPIRG. “We sincerely hope that next year’s
legislative session will take a more productive approach in the form of a
long-term, stable, adequate source of funding for public transit around the
state.”
