Read six super reasons to support transit!

Summary. Bus service is an important transportation choice in communities - rural and urban - across Washington. Transportation Choices Coalition has been out working with citizens in local communities, providing critical campaign support to help pass ballot measures to save and expand bus service.

Background. In 1999 voters passed Tim Eyman's Initiative 695. The measure cut the tax on car tabs, an important source of revenue for bus service. I-695 was found to violate the state constitution, but Washington lawmakers decided to eliminate the tax anyway. This was largely due to strong support from voters who wanted to keep paying less for car tabs. I-695 meant a 40% cut in revenues for bus service statewide. Some transit agencies lost as much as half their funding!

Our Position. In 2000 the legislature enabled local areas to raise their sales tax by up to .9% to make up the lost revenue from the passage of I-695 and to support their local transit systems. Ever since, Transportation Choices has been involved in campaigning to win sales tax increases for transit!

As of late 2005, 20 transit systems have had their citizens vote YES to support their bus service. It's a remarkable testament to the value voters place in public transit - that the majority of voters in places ranging from the Tri Cities to the Kitsap peninsula have been willing to raise the widely-disliked sales tax amidst a declining economy to support bus service.

Transportation Choices is building upon the success of these past wins and will offer the support of our staff and members to sales tax campaigns planned for the future. We offer assistance in two ways: planning and getting out the vote. Transportation Choices Coalition staff meets with citizens and volunteers and helps the campaign build a winning campaign plan, while also helping to coordinate mailings, phone-banking, door-belling or whatever else is most needed!

For instance, in 2005 Policy Director Rob Johnson worked with members of the campaign in Clark County in Southwest Washington, helping with volunteer coordination and strategy. The sales tax for transit passed in September 2005, great news for residents of Vancouver and Clark County!

Running up to the 2004 elections, our Field Director Kari Mosden worked with community organizers on a ballot initiative to start a new transit system in remote Asotin County, in Southeast Washington. She provided advice on where to spend scarce resources for the initiative, and they were able to wage an effective education campaign - voters approved the proposition for a 0.2 percent sales and use tax! The new transit tax helps maintain and improve the county's public transit services and provides the matching funds needed to receive federal grants. The new funding makes Asotin County the 27th transit system in Washington State.

Kari also worked with members of the "YES 4 C-Tran" campaign in Clark County, where the transit agency put a 0.3% sales tax increase on the ballot. She sent out emails to our members and transit staff in Clark County, turned people out for a rally and met with the campaign staff to provide advice. On this try the measure failed, but it passed on the second go in 2005.

Take Action! Is your local Transit Agency Board going to put a transit measure on the ballot? Do you want to help out in a county that may go for a sales tax increase for transit?

Email us or give a call to 206-329-2336 and ask for Rob Johnson, Policy Director. We'd love to hear from you!