Attend Listening Posts and Weigh in on Transportation Funding;
February 21st, 22nd, 28th, and 29th
By Stephanie Weisenbach, Program Coordinator, 1000 Friends of Iowa
We have an opportunity on our hands to shape the future of Iowa’s transportation system to better meet the needs of people, the environment, and the economy. Many Iowans are tired of seeing our valuable farmland and natural areas being paved over for sprawling development. People want the existing roads in their community to be in good shape. And there’s a growing demand for better choices to bike, walk, use public transit, and use passenger rail so people can have a better quality of life with less time spent behind the wheel.
How to finance our transportation system is being debated this session, and citizens need to weigh in on the kind of transportation investments we need to improve our communities.
Iowa Senator Tom Rielly, chair, and Iowa Senator Larry Noble, ranking member, of the Senate Transportation Committee have announced that they plan to hold meetings (listening posts) throughout the state that focus discussion on transportation funding STARTING THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21. (See schedule of meetings at the bottom of this article)
A proposal called TIME-21 stands for “Transportation Investment Moves the Economy in the 21st Century.” The proposal is to create a “TIME-21 Fund” to finance road projects and identify ways to increase revenues to put money into the fund. For more information from the Department of Transportation on TIME-21 visit: http://iowadot.gov/time21/
THE PROBLEM:
• Public transit, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and passenger rail would not receive, or even be eligible for, any of the proposed new $200 million per year in the TIME-21 Fund.
• Fixing our existing roads is not a required priority with the money.
• Costly new road projects for urban sprawl or highway expansion projects could absorb a significant portion of the money.
WHY WE NEED TO SOLVE IT:
• Transportation accounts for about a third of greenhouse gas emissions and is the fastest growing sector contributing to climate change.
• New road projects on the suburban fringe often lead to auto-dependent development that drives up the number of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT).
• Oil is running out, and we need public policy that helps us conserve the amount of fuel we use.
• Major transit projects will fail to receive federal funding if Iowa can't supply the required match money.
THE SOLUTION:
The best way for policymakers to make a well-informed decision is to postpone consideration of TIME-21 until the 2009 session when the following three critical documents will be completed:
• Report from the Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council, which will include recommendations on making balanced transportation investments.
• Studies on expanded passenger rail service to major Iowa cities including Davenport, Dubuque, Iowa City, and Des Moines.
• The State Transportation Plan, which will be updated later this year and will include expanded transportation choices.
Tell policymakers that if they don’t take the wisest approach to wait until next session, if they advance legislation this year, you want them to support:
• A fix-it-first approach to road funding, ensuring that our existing roads receive the necessary improvements, and new roads don’t gobble up too much money and land.
• Allow for the TIME-21 money to be used for other transportation modes in addition to roads, including bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, public transit, and passenger rail.
SCHEDULE for Senator Rielly and Senator Noble’s transportation tour:
Thursday, Feb. 21
3 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
King Memorial Library
708 7th Street
Grundy Center
6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Country Hills Golf Course
10280 Echo Valley Road
West Union
Friday, Feb. 22
8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Dubuque River Museum
350 East 3rd Street
Port of Dubuque
Dubuque
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
John O' Donnell Stadium
209 S. Gaines Street
Davenport
2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Manatt's, Inc.
1775 Old 6 Road
Brooklyn
Thursday, Feb. 28
3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Jefferson Community Building
204 W. Harrison
(Four-way stop at Iowa 4 and Lincolnway)
Jefferson
6 p.m. – 7:30 pm
Sunrise Point Golf Course
1528 E. Lake Shore Drive
Storm Lake
Friday, Feb. 29
9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Sioux City Public Library
Gleeson Room
529 Pierce Street
Sioux City
12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Visitor's Center
Glenwood Resource Center Campus
110 Main Street
Glenwood
3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Terrible's Lakeside Casino
777 Casino Drive
Osceola
For any questions about the tour, contact Senator Rielly or Senator Noble through
the Senate lounge switchboard at 515-281-3371.
Also, contact your legislators and Governor Culver:
Let Governor Culver know that Iowa's solutions for climate change and energy independence must include reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled, and passing the current version of TIME-21 in 2008 would be in conflict with that goal.
Contact information for Governor Chet Culver:
http://www.governor.iowa.gov/administration/contact/
You can look up the names of your legislators and find their contact information at:
http://www.legis.state.ia.us/FindLeg/
The switchboard for members of the House is (515) 281-3221; the switchboard for members of the Senate is (515) 281-3371.
Representatives on the House Transportation Committee:
Geri Huser (Chair), Jim Lykam (Vice Chair), Dave Tjepkes (Ranking Member), Rich Arnold, Paul Bell, Polly Bukta, Dennis Cohoon, Swati Dandekar, Mary Gaskill, Chuck Gipp, Dan Huseman, Mike May, Dolores Mertz, Donovan Olsen, Dan Rasmussen, Mike Reasoner, Rod Roberts, Kurt Swaim, John Whitaker, Matt Windschitl, Gary Worthan.
Senators on the Senate Transportation Commitee:
Tom Rielly (Chair), Jeff Danielson (Vice Chair), Larry Noble (Ranking Member), Daryl Beall, Dick Dearden, Tom Hancock, Bill Heckroth, Hubert Houser, Matt McCoy, John Putney, Steve Warnstadt, Brad Zaun, Mark Zieman.
Submitted by:
Stephanie Weisenbach
Program Coordinator
1000 Friends of Iowa
3850 Merle Hay Road Suite 605
Des Moines, Iowa 50310
515-288-5364
programs@1000friendsofiowa.org
http://www.1000friendsofiowa.org
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this is good news!
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