Statement of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut to the Appropriations Committee Public Hearing, 
February 25, 2011
Support for the budget for the Department of Transportation in the Governors proposed budget, HB 6380 AAC the Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2013

Members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut recognized the critical importance of Transportation for Connecticut by designating transportation as a legislative priority. Transportation is critical to keeping our economy viable, our workers working and making Connecticut competitive and modern.

During these difficult economic times, transit is needed more than ever. Availability of affordable transit is of critical importance to the states economy and environment and to the quality of life for all residents. 

We support the Governors proposed budget funding for transit operations. It is responsive to the needs for fiscal restraint and yet it maintains sufficient funding for the critical bus transit operations. We thank the Governor for recognizing this need and recommending no fare increase.

An investment in transit projects generates short and long-term jobs needed to get our state's economy started again. We urge your consideration to funding the following transit needs:

Sincerely,
Jara N. Burnett
Transportation Specialist

February 24, 2011

Hon. Daniel P. Malloy, Governor
Hartford, CT
VIA FACSIMILE

Dear Governor Malloy:

On behalf of the membership of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut, I want to thank you for keeping the much-needed funding for transportation projects in your budget. The League has long advocated for a transportation system for Connecticut that would be interlocking, multi-modal and balanced.

We applaud your proposal to fully commit “funds necessary for 38 new rail cars for Metro-North and Shoreline East, to fully fund our other rail lines and to hold the line on new fare increases for bus and rail.” We have advocated for these measures since 2008 as shown below.

• Commuter bus service continues to impact most immediately the congestion on our highways and provides mobility for our most-economically challenged citizens.  Buses provide a relatively low cost and flexible alternative to automobile travel. Careful consideration needs to be given to expanding bus service to communities where none exists and the frequency and longer hours of service where bus service already exists.
  
• Coordination of bus and railroad schedules for shuttle bus service to commuter and passenger railroad stations. Many stations are reachable only by cars and parking is often scarce and expensive.
• Continue efforts to make mass transit more attractive to current and potential users by improving the service and the passenger capacity on existing railroad lines. The new rail cars are an important step in this direction and we hope they arrive soon.
• Expand freight traffic on existing rail lines by maximizing the use of existing rails for freight by improving scheduling, eliminating surcharges, and improving access for shippers at origin and terminal points.
• Expand shipping of cargo via barges We appreciate your commitment to dredging Bridgeport Harbor that will facilitate this endeavor.
• Expand incentives for users of mass transit.

We further applaud you initiative to “….make a fundamental change in the way we account for and fund transportation by making sure that all the taxes we collect for gasoline and diesel fuel used in transportation are used to meet our transportation needs with 70% of our gross receipts tax going to support our roads and bridges.”

We look forward to working with you to help create a 21st century transportation system.

Sincerely,

Jara N. Burnett, Transportation Specialist