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NEWS FROM TALC
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Tell the Governor not to target transit in the state budget battle
This past year was tough for public transit in the state budget. The Governor
and Legislature diverted $1.26 billion in public transit funds to other
programs. This happened even as roads and highways got full funding.
The year ahead is likely to be even tougher for transit. The state budget is
anticipated to have a $10 billion shortfall and high gas prices mean that the
Spillover is likely to be bigger than ever. TALC is partnering with CALPIRG and
Odyssey to send a message to the Governor and key legislators to let them know
that transit funding is important and needs to be protected.
We have a sign-on letter available at the webpage below. To add your
organization's name to the letter, contact Carli Paine at
carli@transcoalition.org. We are
taking sign-ons through December 12.
Learn more:
www.transcoalition.org/c/sus_spill/index.html
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TALC's RTP campaign moves to the counties
TALC's campaign to protect the climate and win a better Bay Area is advancing to
the county level. Over 60 organizations have signed on in support of TALC's
platform for MTC's Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). After participating in
MTC's visioning process, we're taking our efforts to the counties to make sure
that the projects that are in the RTP reflect our region's critical goals of
reducing congestion, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality,
and making transportation more affordable for low-income people.
MTC is asking the nine Bay Area counties for their lists of plans and projects
to be included for funding in the RTP by February. TALC
and members of our coalition are setting up county-level advocacy teams. County
activities will include:
- Attending public meetings and asking the county congestion management
agency to align its list with the region's goals
- Participating in meetings with individual county decision-makers
- Writing letters to the editor in local papers
- Analyzing your county's list of proposed projects
- Helping keep other county advocates up to date about meetings, agendas,
and proposed projects
- Office tasks
If you are interested in helping coordinate our county activities, if you want
to participate as an advocate, or just want to stay informed, please contact
Carli Paine ASAP at
carli@transcoalition.org with your name, county, and how you want to
participate. She will add you to the appropriate Google group and help you get
involved.
To learn more about the RTP process and TALC's positions, or to download the
platform and get information on how your organization can sign on to it, see the
webpage below.
Learn more:
www.transcoalition.org/c/sus_rtp/rtp_home.html
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New website and toolkit help communities shape their future
The Great Communities Collaborative website is new and improved! Come explore
the interactive map, download new tools, and learn about the sites at which the
Collaborative is active. On the website is a new version of the Great
Communities Toolkit. It now features three new handout sheets on childcare in
schools, air quality, and local businesses; twelve personal stories; and eight
in-depth policy fact sheets that go into greater detail on the handout topics.
Want to get a copy of the Toolkit? Download the new pages, or the entire kit, on the new
Great Communities website! Also on the website, download the new Health Impact
Assessment Toolkit, a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a Health Impact
Assessment in your community, complete with worksheets and an extensive list of
resources.
Learn more:
www.greatcommunities.org
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TALC opposes Proposition 91 -- the "accidental" measure
TALC's board of directors voted to oppose Prop 91 at its November meeting. Prop
91, on California's February 2008 ballot, has been an increasing source of
confusion as election time approaches. Prop 91 would further restrict the
ability to shift Prop 42 funds (gas sales tax revenue) from transportation
purposes to the General Fund, which might seem like a good thing. However,
Proposition 1A, adopted in November 2006 with approval from more than 75% of
voters, already does that quite well. Even the original backers of Prop 91 no
longer support it, as they helped forge the compromise that became Prop 1A. Prop
91 really ended up on the ballot almost by accident. Importantly, Prop 91 would
not protect the Spillover or any of the other Public
Transportation Account funds that were redirected in this year's budget.
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TALC members hooked on 'Transit: The Next Generation'
Reliability, reliability, reliability. That is the by far the number one
priority of Muni riders according to market research done for the Transit
Effectiveness Project (TEP) currently being conducted at SFMTA. If you weren't
able to make TALC's November 28 regional meeting which focused on the TEP, you
can view the presentation full of great maps and fascinating findings at the
webpage below. Notes from the discussion after the presentation, plus info on TALC's potential name change, are also posted at the link
below. Finally, please mark your calendar for TALC's next regional meeting on
Wednesday, February 27 at 5:30 p.m.
Learn more:
www.transcoalition.org/cal/minutes_archive.html
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Safe Routes to Transit improves BART cars and Ohlone Greenway
Have you noticed the dedicated bicycle zone in the redesigned BART cars? Have
you walked or biked the Ohlone Greenway in Albany recently? Bicycle and
pedestrian access improvements for BART cars and the Greenway were made possible
by Safe Routes to Transit, which is funded by Regional Measure 2. If you're one
of the many advocates who helped TALC pass the bridge toll-increase-for-transit
in 2004, give yourself a big pat on the back!
When complete, the BART pilot project will create dedicated bicycle spots on 80
cars throughout the system. And, next time you're walking or biking the Ohlone
Greenway in Albany, notice the new lighting and safety improvements. These were
also funded through a Safe Routes to Transit grant.
Please send photos of yourself using these Safe Routes to Transit-funded
improvements to Carli Paine at
carli@transcoalition.org. For more info about the Safe Routes to Transit
grant program, see the page below.
Learn more:
www.transcoalition.org/c/bikeped/bikeped_saferoutes.html
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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Placemaking with transit and transit-oriented development -- Wednesday,
December 5
Come and probe the-state-of-the practice with transit-oriented development (TOD)
and placemaking in America at The Forum at Redwood City's December program.
Learn what's happening across the country, the challenges, barriers,
opportunities and innovations with TOD implementation. How do you break the mold
on the design of transit to create successful TODs? The presenter will be GB
Arrington, Principal Practice Leader for PB PlaceMaking. The event will be held
on Wednesday, December 5 from 6:00 - 7:45 pm at the Fox Theatre at 2215 Broadway
in Redwood City. The event costs $10 and no RSVP is required. Please note that
attendance at the Fox Theatre is limited to persons over 21.
Learn more:
www.redwoodcity.org/forum
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Planning transit services that meet your community's goals -- Thursday,
December 6
The Surface Transportation Policy Project and Center for Neighborhood Technology
will host the second "From the Margins to the Mainstream" online webinar. The
session will discuss integrating transit service planning with community
planning and design in understandable terms for the non-technical person.
Audience interaction will be a key part of this webinar. The webinar will
feature leading transportation experts, including officials from transit
agencies, local land-use/planning agencies, and the development community. The
webinar will be held on Thursday, December 6, from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Reserve
your virtual seat at the website below.
Register:
www.gotomeeting.com/register/406268508
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Join PCL for its annual legislative symposium -- Saturday, January 12
California's local and state environmental policies have influence far and wide.
That's why the Planning and Conservation League has chosen State of Change:
How Californians Can Change the World as the theme for its 2008 annual
legislative symposium. Through cutting-edge keynotes, "how to..." workshops, and
MCLE courses you'll learn how to ensure that California remains an environmental
trendsetter. After the symposium PCL will host its annual awards banquet to
honor several 2007 environmental heroes. Register before December 12 to take
advantage of discounted registration prices.
Learn more:
www.pcl.org/projects/2008symposium
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Save the date for TALC's annual Summit -- Saturday, April 5
Join us for TALC's 2008 Summit, which will explore the connections between land
use, transportation, and health. How we build our communities and travel within
them directly affects our health. Over the last few years, connections between
these fields have been made; too often, however, we still operate in separate
worlds. Our 11th annual Summit will bring together advocates, activists, and
practitioners from these fields for a day of speakers and participatory sessions
to get us working together on building healthier communities.
Learn more: www.transcoalition.org/cal/summit08
