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- Subject: [SCVTARU] Protest against the latest VTA service cut proposal - and more
- From: "Eugene Bradley" <http://profiles.yahoo.com/eegenebradley>
- Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:06:25 -0000
Urban Habitat of Oakland has inquired about having a protest in where-I-live next Wednesday to join the other cities mentioned below. I say such a protest is needed here, given that where-I-live officially has over 1 million people, and given today's Mercury News article regarding additional service cuts. What do you think? If we decide to do something in where-I-live (preferably downtown or in front of the County Building at 70 W. Hedding Street where there is a stage) or join the main protest in Oakland, plans need to be made and finalized by Monday morning. --eugene ========== FORWARD ========== 1) National Day of Action $500 Billion Transit Bill Must Include Funds to Operate Transit Systems in Crisis! Transit Advocates Urge Congressional Leaders in a National Day of Action When: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - 8:30am Where: Frank H. Ogawa Plaza (open area next to Tully's) Who: Public Advocates, Urban Habitat, TransForm, Genesis, BOSS, staff from Representative Barbara Lee's office (invited groups include organized labor), you... Purpose: On Wednesday, July 22, transit advocates, civil rights and environmental justice organizations in Chicago, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, New York City, Portland and others will be holding a national day of action to call on Congressional leaders to influence the debate of the authorization of the $500 billion Transit Bill. As proposed, the bill allocates 80% of funds for highway, freeways and roads and 20% for mass transit. Advocates will hold press conferences, rallies, drives, and street theater encouraging thousands to ask their congressional representatives to dedicate at least 50% of all transit funds to operate transit systems to respond to the crisis across the country. Event: We'll be staging a mock "funeral" mourning the death of transit lines, resulting from inadequate funding for transit operations. We'll also be highlighting the current opportunity we have to win federal support for AC Transit, BART, VTA, MUNI, SAMTRANS and the rest of the Bay Area's transit operators currently facing major service cuts and fare increases. Please contact Bob 510-839-9510 ext. 312 or http://www.urbanhabitat.org/~bob if you can attend and help us draw attention to this crucial opportunity to restore the federal government's role in supporting transit operations. If you cannot attend the event please ask your Congressperson to support H.R. 2746. As a major first step advocates will be urging constituents and bus riders in congressional districts to call on their Congressional Representatives to co-sponsor the H.R. 2746 (Carnahan Bill). The marker bill proposes at least 30% federal transportation funds to be available for operation of transit systems for urbanized areas over 1 million in population and more for smaller areas. While the current federal transportation authorization bill includes up to 5% of federal funds to be used for operation for large cities, this amount falls far too short to cover the magnitude and depth of the transit operation crisis happening across the country.
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