Stop the governor's attack on public transit

The governor's proposed budget would cut more than $64 million for transit operators in the Bay Area alone. These losses would translate to service cuts, deferred maintenance, and project delays; transit operators rely on these funds to keep their passengers riding buses and rail instead of driving. Weakened public transit would encourage auto-oriented sprawl development, thus threatening open space. The cuts would also be unjust for transit-dependent communities in an urban environment with poor transportation access.

What You Can Do - This month's key action

Contact Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at:

State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 445-2841
fax: (916) 445-4633.

or send him an e-mail at www.govmail.ca.gov

Urge him:

• to protect transportation funding and accede to the voters' wishes by allocating to transportation the $1.3 billion set aside by Proposition 42 for this purpose;
• not to "spill over" $216 million of transit money into the general fund;
• if these programs cannot be fully restored, to prioritize funding for transit operations first.

To help the Sierra Club defend mass transit, contact Andy Katz, chair of the Bay Chapter Transportation and Compact Growth Committee, by or (510) 220-1122.

Andy Katz, co-chair, Chapter Transportation and Compact Growth Committee