What's wrong with this tagline?!
Although Gov. Butch Otter and the Idaho Transportation Board skipped Boise on their round of hearings earlier this summer, they're finally giving capital city residents a chance to be heard. Otter, the ITB, and Sen. Mike Crapo will hold a transportation funding conference on August 26 in Boise at the Boise Centre on the Grove, 850 W. Front Street.
From 9 a.m. to noon, experts will testify on national and local transportation needs and discuss what was heard at the July meetings. The public comment period will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Come ready to voice your support for public transit (and a local option tax to help pay for it); bike and walking paths; and other projects that will help Idahoans reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Can't make the meeting? You can send comments via email to comments@itd.idaho.gov or call Jeff Stratten from the Idaho Transportation Department at 208-334-8005. There's also an online survey at the ITB website. Unfortunately, that survey makes no mention of transit projects - only funding for roads and bridges - so be sure to make your thoughts known in the final question, where comments can be made.
2 comments:
Here's the comment I sent. I also hope to make it to the public meeting today:
ear Gov. Otter, Sen. Crapo, and members of the Idaho Transportation Board:
I believe funding for safe roads and bridges is very important, and I am glad the state is making this a priority. However, I believe the state also must invest MUCH more that it has in public transportation, ride-share programs, and bike paths so that people throughout Idaho can lessen our dependence on single-occupant vehicles fueled by expensive foreign oil.
Idaho is far behind on this issue, mainly because the state legislature has repeatedly failed to allow people to decide whether or not to invest in regional transit via a local-option tax. I hope the state legislature will grant this regional authority in 2009, and without the unnecessary (and politically motivated) constitutional amendment that was proposed last year.
As for road and bridge funding, I favor higher gas taxes and/or toll roads to ensure that people who drive the most pay the most for road and bridge upkeep. This would reward people who choose to use less fuel by carpooling, biking, walking, taking transit, telecommuting, living closer to work, etc. I'd also favor lower registration fees for lighter vehicles and those with higher fuel efficiency.
Finally, I applaud Sen. Crapo for his efforts to bring Amtrak back to southern Idaho and I hope he is successful in that matter.
Thank you.
Julie Fanselow
Um, I actually did write "Dear Gov. Otter, Sen. Crapo, and members of the Idaho Transportation Board," not "ear ..." :)
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