[from Nina Szlosberg, member, NC Board of Transportation] I am writing to let you know about an important piece of legislation that was introduced in the NC House today.
This legislation would create "The Intermodal/Congestion Relief" Fund. The 21st Century Transportation Committee, on which I sit, created the bill and voted unanimously last week to send it to the legislature for passage. Rep. Becky Carney of Mecklenburg County (who also sits on the 21st committee and is Chair of the House Transportation Committee) is sponsoring the bill. Becky is a real leader and a great supporter of well planned transportation.
The fund will do two things.
First, it will provide a mechanism to establish a stream of funding for multi-modal projects throughout NC. Currently the NC DOT spends less than 3% of a 3.7 billion annual budget on rapid transit and other multi-modal projects - so the fund is needed if we are to "get up to speed" with other states.
Here's some of what the fund does:
Provides a state match for qualifying transit projects in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the Triad, the Triangle, Asheville and Wilmington (and surrounding areas.)
Transit in these communities will reduce congestion and provide mobility choices.
Provides funding for the short line railroads which stimulate economic activity in rural areas (and take truck traffic off the highways),
Provides funding for the NC Railroad... which could provide commuter service linking workers in "ring counties" to their jobs in urban areas.
Provides funding for the NC Ports - which stimulate economic activity throughout the state.
Second, it will provide enabling legislation to give a number local communities the option of putting a referendum on the ballot asking voters if they would like to raise the sales tax in that community by a half a cent and dedicate that funding to transit. In Charlotte, for example, where they have just opened a very successful rapid rail system they raise 70 Million a year through a half cent sales tax which funds all transit operations (including local bus, express bus, neighborhood circulators and light rail.)
A positive referendum outcome in the Triangle would raise appx. 82 million a year. This is important because a Special Transit Advisory Committee (made up of prominent business and civic leaders in the Triangle) has recently released a report laying out a bold 20year plan for transit in the Triangle region.
The Intermodal Congestion Relief bill could help make that plan a reality.
So, what can you do? I am including you in this email because you all represent many different communities statewide and as such
have tremendous power to make a difference. First, pass this email on to your constituents, friends, family, neighbors, members of organizations with which you are affiliated.
Second, please encourage your legislators to support the bill.
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/GIS/Representation/Who_Represents_Me/Who_Represents_Me.html
That will tell you who represents you in the NC House and Senate. Click on the link and that will take you to the individual
lawmakers webpage. There is an email address there.
Write an email to your lawmaker (and others elected leaders and lawmakers as well) and tell them that it is important to you that they support House Bill 2363.
Tell them that if North Carolina is to remain economically competitive we must provide transportation choices for our citizens.
Tell them that as gas prices rise, it is more important than ever to provide people with options other than their cars to get to work, school, shopping and recreation.
Tell them that those who live near transit drive 4400 fewer miles than the average American.
Tell them that you are concerned about our dependence on foreign oil and that public transportation can help reduce that dependency.
Tell them that Public transportation saves 4.2 billion gallons of fuel a year - equal to all of the fuel we import from Kuwait, the equivalent to 320 million cars filling up - 900,000 times a day.
Tell them that households that use public transportation save an average of $6251.00 each year.
Tell them that public Transportation reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 37 million metric tons a year - equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households. To achieve a similar reduction in carbon emissions, every household in New York City, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Denver and Los Angeles combined would have to completely stop using electricity.
Tell them that North Carolina will grow by 4 million people in the next twenty years - equal to the current population of SC coming over the border to North Carolina. Ask them where are they going to live? And how will they move around the state?
Tell them that the majority of transportation and land use planners agree - traffic will grind to a halt unless we get serious about transit. Soon.
Tell them that you want to protect the quality of life in North Carolina. And that preserving mobility through creating more transportation choices is key to keeping North Carolina a great play to work, live and thrive. A great place to grow a business and raise a family.
If you have any questions about the bill there is information below, or you can email me (but please don't hit "respond to all" - there are hundreds on this list.)
Thank you for being such concerned, engaged North Carolinians. Your voice (and vote) matters.
Best to you,
Nina Szlosberg
Member, NC Board of Transportation
21st Century Transportation Committee Member
Board President, Conservation Council of NC
Intermodal Bill filed Tuesday as HB2363
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 17:42:05 -0400
From: Gerry Cohen (Bill Drafting, Director)
To: Gerry Cohen (Bill Drafting, Director)
The Intermodal Bill recommended by the 21st Century Transportation Committee was filed in the North Carolina House of Representative this afternoon as House Bill 2363. It has four primary sponsors, Representatives Becky Carney (Mecklenburg), Lucy Allen (Franklin), Deborah Ross (Wake), and Pricey Harrison (Guilford). At the time of filing, 17 other house members signed as cosponsors, but members have until one hour after adjournment Wednesday, May 21 to add their names.
During the House floor session Wednesday, the bill will get first reading and be referred to a committee, and by late afternoon Wednesday the first edition of the bill will be linked from the bill status page and will include the names of all sponsors. Page and line numbers of the first edition will be different than from the filed edition.
An explanation of the bill is here:
http://www.ncleg.net/documentsites/committees/21stCenturyTransportation/Adopted%20Proposals/Intermodal%20Committee%20Report%20May%2013,%202008.pdf
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