May 2005

ISAIAH’s Public Transportation Campaign is On the Move!
Sarah Mullins, St. Luke’s Catholic Church, St. Paul

Our aim is for Minnesota to plan and invest as a community in a transportation system that works for all of us.   As people of faith we recognize that transportation ties housing, jobs and schools together into strong communities.  Transit is a critical component that provides choice—choice of where to live, work and how to get there. 

Unfortunately, our current transit system is insufficient to meet our needs.  Underscoring the problem is that Metro Transit faces a $60 million shortfall.  Our bus system faces severe service reductions and fare hikes.

The Metropolitan Council has completed planning for the full multi-modal transportation system that the metro region needs, but there is no budget dedicated to building it.  Road construction has a stable source of funding, but transit is largely stuck with year-to-year budgets.

Our campaign goal is to create an adequate, stable source of funding for public transit.  This requires a legislative solution. 

Last winter, ISAIAH leaders joined with other transit advocates, including Transit for Livable Communities, MN Public Transit Association, Sierra Club/MN North Star Chapter, Alliance for Metropolitan Stability and Amalgamated Transit Workers Union, to draft a legislative proposal to provide adequate and stable funding for transit.

The Transportation Choices 2020 initiative will enable Minnesota to build the transit systems our community has already envisioned to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.

ISAIAH leaders from our Metropolitan Equity Committee have been working with these partners to advance the proposal through the critical legislative steps.  This includes bringing the discussion to our congregations, to our community neighbors and to the media.  We have found that the greater Twin Cities region is passionate about investing in our transit system!
 

A brief timeline of ISAIAH’s leadership in the transportation campaign:

February 2, 2005:  Sarah Mullins publishes Star Tribune commentary... “We don’t believe this myth of scarce resources should define what is possible for our state.”

March/April 2005:  ISAIAH leaders meet with individual legislators. We discuss the urgent need to fund transit with a stable adequate budget today and to build a system that meets the growing transit needs.

March 9, 2005:  Transit partners press conference announcing the “Transportation Choices 2020” initiative. Sarah Mullins speaks for ISAIAH: “Offering real transportation choices for Minnesotans isn’t about providing the option to show up someplace.  It’s about how we invite each other to share our lives.”

March 10, 2005:  Transportation Choices 2020 is introduced in the House. Over 100 supporters pack the hearing room. Over 10 groups testify in support of the bill. Trudy Cretsinger testifies for ISAIAH:  “Those who lack the qualifications to drive or the money to purchase and maintain vehicles are marginalized in our community. This simply is not fair and it is not just.”

April 7, 2005:  Transportation Choices 2020 has a hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee with 120 supporters packing the room. Over a dozen groups testify in support of the bill, including Trudy Cretsinger for ISAIAH. After a lively debate, the bill passes out of the Transportation Committee.

April 12-22, 2005:  Metropolitan Council hearings across the metro region on bus service cuts and fare hikes. ISAIAH leaders testify at five of the seven hearings and they talk with community members present about legislative solutions to the ‘06-07 transit budget shortfall. ISAIAH leader Pete Marincel sums up the issue:  “Any proposal that makes it harder for people to ride the bus is NOT a solution….We as citizens do not have to accept a poorly-funded transportation system.” 

April/May 2005:  Transportation Choices 2020 initiative remains alive as the Senate and House write the final omnibus transportation bills.  ISAIAH members continue phone calls and ‘quick hits’ at the Capitol to keep legislators focused on providing a stable adequate budget for transit.