Re: Mass transit in PA

[illusionofjoy]

Never let it be said that I didn't write my senators:

To: jpippy@pasen.gov

Cc: garmstrong@pasen.gov, boscola@pasenate.com, dbrightbill@pasen.gov, jconti@pasen.gov, jcorman@pasen.gov, costa@pasenate.com, cdent@pasen.gov, jearll@pasen.gov, eerickson@pasen.gov, ferlo@pasenate.com, Senator_Fumo@fumo.com, sgreenleaf@pasen.gov, hughes@pasenate.com, rjubelirer@pasen.gov, kitchen@pasenate.com, kukovich@pasenate.com, lavalle@pasenate.com, logan@pasenate.com, rmadigan@pasen.gov, mellow@pasenate.com, hmowery@pasen.gov, musto@pasenate.com, opake@pasenate.com, jorie@pasen.gov, jpiccola@pasen.gov, dpileggi@pasen.gov, jrafferty@pasen.gov, jrhoades@pasen.gov, rrobbins@pasen.gov, jscarnati@pasen.gov, schwartz@pasenate.com, stack@pasenate.com, stout@pasenate.com, tartaglione@pasenate.com, rthompson@pasen.gov, rtomlinson@pasen.gov, wagner@pasenate.com, mwaugh@pasen.gov, nwenger@pasen.gov, mwhite@pasen.gov, dwhite@pasen.gov, williams@pasenate.com, chwilliams@pasenate.com, rwonderling@pasen.gov, wozniak@pasenate.com

Subject: Mass transit funding in Pennsylvania

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Pennsylvania State Senate--

I am writing to you this evening to address the issue of mass transit in the state of Pennsylvania. As you are all well-aware, funding cuts as well as issues of economic hardship have left many municipalities' transit systems with budget deficits this year, which, if left unaddressed could have grave consequences for those municipalities as well as the entire state of Pennsylvania itself. I can not speak for other districts, however, where I live, the Allegheny County Port Authority will be forced to drastically raise fares and cut service should their budget shortfall go unreconciled.

For many, myself included, mass transit is the only means one has to travel from one section of a municipality to another, be this from home to work, healthcare, shopping, recreation, etc. A cutback of service would leave the car-less virtually stranded during certain hours and days and slaves to a curfew no adult human being should be subjected to. Furthermore, a stifling of any transit system effectively reduces the number of business hours a municipality can effectively operate. Even those privy to a motor vehicle often choose mass transit over their cars in order to save money otherwise spent on gasoline and parking fees or for environmental reasons.

Governor Ed Rendell recently proposed a plan for closing the budgetary shortfalls of Pennsylvania's mass transit systems [I refer you to this article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette located at http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04322/413001.stm]. Under this plan, $110 million would be raised per year from increases in fees for emissions testing, the purchasing of tires, car rentals and obtaining an individual's driving records. While I do not believe that this is a perfect solution to the problem, I feel that this is the best route available currently to solve a pressing issue. While it may seem that this plan penalizes car-owners, I feel that it is perfectly reasonable for the "haves" to graciously give a hand up to the "have not's." Furthermore, this plan has the added bonus of encouraging the use of mass transit, unlike a hike in the gas tax which would penalize all forms of transportation. If individuals have to pay slightly more for their personal vehicles, yet find that the mass transit alternative retains the same fare of yesteryear and the same service level, would not fiscal logic compel them to commute via mass transit? I would have to believe that the answer is yes.

It in my intention, in this communiqué, to encourage every member of the Pennsylvania State Senate to support Governor Rendell's plan. I firmly believe that the future of Pennsylvania as a vital state open to economic growth depends on your votes on this matter. I can only hope that, in writing, I have convinced a majority of you that a vote approving this plan is the right thing to do for Pennsylvania and its citizens.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

--
Seth Warren
XXXX XXXXXXXXX XXX XXXX XX
Pittsburgh, PA 15216
Ph: XXX.XXX.XXXX
http://www.illusionofjoy.net

All of their email addresses were culled from a listing on The Pennsylvania Senate website. Given the ease with which the internet gives us in communicating, I feel that nobody has an excuse anymore for not participating in the democratic process.