This just in from U.S. PIRG. Can we get a part of that $2 billion to run CARTA to Folly Beach?
For many Americans, the checks arrived just as gas prices went through the roof. In fact, according to new analysis from U.S. PIRG, the average American household has already spent their entire stimulus check on gas. We’ve effectively signed it over to the likes of ExxonMobil.
Tomorrow, Congress will vote on a bill that would provide almost $2 billion to increase the service, capacity and affordability of public transportation nationwide — a real stimulus to help Americans cut our dependence on oil and solve a host of transportation problems.
The Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act represents a huge step forward in making it easier for Americans to drive less. And it would be an important shift in Congress: spending transportation dollars to help solve problems, rather than just doling out money for pet projects and superhighways.
The bill would help transit agencies keep up with record numbers of new riders searching for alternatives to expensive gas and (we hope!) set the tone for the $500 billion dollar transportation bill that will be debated early next year.
Without smart solutions that make it easier for people to drive less, it won’t matter how many rebate checks the Treasury sends American families. We’ll still be stuck signing them over to Big Oil.
The bill will come to a vote tomorrow, so your calls at this time could make the difference between pass and fail. And no matter what, it helps when our members of Congress hear from us about real solutions to our transportation problems.
