Dear Senator Blumenthal, Senator Murphy, Congressman Courtney, Congresswoman DeLauro, Congresswoman Hayes, Congressman Himes and Congressman Larson,
On behalf of the Emergency Campaign to Save Public Transit, a coalition of transit groups in the Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey region, we are writing to ask for your continued and vigorous support to provide the nation’s public transit agencies with a $32 billion emergency cash infusion. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, transit in the tri-state region is in need of immediate assistance, including $504 million for the CT Department of Transportation’s transit program, $1.2 billion for New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit), $12 billion for New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and $3 billion for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ). Our mission has now taken on greater urgency as the region’s transit systems stand on the brink of total collapse.
Public transit is critical infrastructure supporting our economy, connecting millions of people with jobs, housing, medical appointments and education. Transit is especially critical for our state’s most vulnerable residents, including low income residents, senior citizens and people with disabilities. It also plays a vital role in efforts to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change. The recovery of our region from the COVID-19 pandemic depends on public transportation to get people where they need to go and to get our economy moving again. Without sufficient funding we face service and capital program cuts that will affect the frequency and reliability of our transit system, making it harder for our residents to get to work, school, medical appointments and other essential trips on time. We need your leadership now more than ever to save public transit and prevent unimaginable damage to our communities.
The federal government is the only entity that can prevent our public transit systems from collapsing due to financial ruin. Strained by the pandemic and economic recession, the State of Connecticut is facing a deficit and traditional funding streams for transit--revenue from fare collection, sales taxes, and tolls--have essentially evaporated, creating an unprecedented crisis.
Every dollar invested in public transit produces five dollars in additional GDP. Before the pandemic, rising traffic congestion on highways and roads was already costing our region $20 billion each year in lost economic productivity and contributing to some of the worst air quality in the country, especially in environmental justice communities. Although businesses are reopening, the threat of the virus remains and many people still fear taking public transit.
Without immediate action from the federal government, our economic recovery will be a long and treacherous journey. Your leadership is greatly appreciated, without it the very existence of public transit in our region is imperiled.
Sincerely,
The Emergency Campaign to Save Public Transit, including:
Thomas K. Wright
President & CEO, Regional Plan Association
Nick Sifuentes
Executive Director, Tri-State Transportation Campaign
Mary Bigelow
Chairperson , Greater New Haven Transit District
Sara Bronin
Lead Organizer, Desegregate CT
Karen Burnaska
Coordinator, Transit for Connecticut
Michael Cacace
Partner, Cacace, Tusch & Santagata
Anthony Cherolis
Transport Hartford Coordinator, Center for Latino Progress
Arthur Collins
President, Collins Enterprises, LLC
Peter Denious
President & CEO, Advance CT
Kathleen A. Dorgan, FAIA, LEED-AP
Principal, Dorgan Architecture & Planning
Clay Fowler
CEO, Spinnaker Real Estate Partners
Celeste Frye
CEO, Public Works Partners
Sam Gardner
Principal, Gregg Wies Gardner Architects
Jim Gildea
Chair, CT Commuter Rail Council
Kiley Gosselin
Executive Director, Partnership for Strong Communities
Ryan Harvey
Chief Operating Officer, The Ashforth Company
William J. Healy II
President & CEO, New Neighborhoods
Juanita James
President & CEO, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Thomas Klin
General Manager, GHD, Inc.
Philip Kuchma
President, Kuchma Corporation
State Senator Carlo Leone
Deputy President Pro Tempore
Chair, State Senate Transportation Committee
Thomas Madden, AICP
Director of Economic Development, City of Stamford
Carla Miklos
Executive Director, Operation Hope
David McCluskey
Former Deputy Speaker, State of Connecticut House of Representatives
Former Vice President, Greater Hartford Labor Coalition
Carey E. Redd, II, CAPP
Director/CEO, New London Parking Authority
David Rich
Executive Director, Supportive Housing Works
Kathleen Silard
President & CEO, Stamford Health
Alec Slatky
Director of Public & Government Affairs, AAA Northeast
Christie Stewart
Director, Fairfield County’s Center for Housing Opportunity
Caroline Vary
Partner & Managing Director of Asset Management, Jonathan Rose Companies
Robert Wienner
President, JDA Development Co. LLC
Lyle Wray
Executive Director, Capital Region Council of Governments, Hartford, CT
Josye Utick
Chair, Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission
