February 22, 2008
(Download document in Adobe PDF format)
The Honorable Robert C. Byrd
Chairman
Senate Committee on Appropriations
S-131 Capitol Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Byrd:
On behalf of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and its more than 1,500 member organizations, I write to express our views on the President’s budget proposal for public transportation for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. We are disappointed the Administration’s budget proposes to fund public transportation programs at $202 million below the level authorized and guaranteed by Congress in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act – a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) for FY 2009. As your committee considers the FY 2009 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, we urge you to reject this proposal and fully fund public transportation at the $10.3 billion level authorized by SAFETEA-LU.
As the nation’s population and economy continue to grow, investment in public transportation infrastructure is critical. Public transportation is a catalyst for economic development. It advances national efforts to reduce congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and dependence on foreign oil. Without adequate funding, transit systems cannot continue to provide service at current levels or meet the demands of growing ridership.
We urge you to reject the Administration’s proposal to transfer some $3.2 billion from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund to fund highway programs. Concern over the projected insolvency of the Highway Account does not justify the transfer. Not only is this a temporary fix, but it jeopardizes the future of public transportation by hastening the insolvency of the Mass Transit Account. Absent new revenues for transit, this would preclude funding the transit program at even current levels in FY 2010. The Senate Finance Committee has approved legislation that would prevent the insolvency of the Highway Account in FY 2009 and APTA supports this proposal over borrowing from the Mass Transit Account.
We thank you for considering APTA's views. If you have questions, please have your staff contact Paul Dean of APTA's Government Affairs Department at (202) 496-4887 or email pdean@apta.com.
Sincerely,
William W. Millar
President
WWM/tjj
Some of these pages may include links to documents in the Adobe PDF format. Please download the Adobe PDF reader if you have not already done so.
