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Advocacy action is needed on Senate Bill 52 right now - ideally before 11 a.m. on Thursday, 2/29! Despite a deeply disappointing outcome in the House Roads and Transportation Committee yesterday afternoon, the fight for better public transit is not over.
Now is the time to take action, letting Speaker Huston and representatives across the state know that Senate Bill 52 must be defeated! Even if you have already taken action on this bill, please do so again! The bill is up for second reading (the next to last step before final passage) in the full House on Thursday; they convene at 11 a.m.
Talking points, links to media articles and other resources are below. Please call and/or email, expressing your opposition to Senate Bill 52, and imploring your own legislator and others to VOTE NO. It seems evident that many representatives are uncomfortable supporting this bill, but there is seemingly great pressure on them to do so. We counterbalance that political power when we make contact and express opposition.
Will you also please share this information with your family, friends and colleagues, asking them to take quick action?
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Identify and contact your own Representative here
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Call the House switchboard number at 317-232-9600 & ask for your Rep
Thank you for your continued dedication and support! Don’t hesitate to let us know of questions or if we can provide assistance.
Read and learn more here:
Health by Design stands firmly in opposition to Senate Bill 52. Here’s why:
• The notion accepted by many legislators—that the Blue Line cannot move forward without a “larger discussion on road funding”—is a self-imposed false dilemma.
o We agree that conversations on addressing longstanding, historical underfunding and maintenance issues on Indianapolis’s streets and roadways must continue with our state legislators; however, this isn’t a matter of choosing one or the other, but both and.
• Halting the Blue Line is fiscally irresponsible, resulting in the likely loss of $150 million in federal funds committed by the Trump administration—not to mention the sunk cost in the tens of millions of dollars already spent on project design and planning over the last several years.
• This bill disenfranchises Marion County voters who affirmed their support for improved public transit (including dedicated lanes for bus rapid transit) in 2016.
• This bill subverts IndyGo’s promise to its customers and partner agencies to deliver on completing the Marion County Transit Plan, which in itself resulted from the largest public outreach and engagement effort ever undertaken in Central Indiana.
• Most importantly, this bill will unintentionally harm residents, businesses, and visitors who depend on quality public transportation to move around Marion County. Killing the Blue Line project will disproportionately impact our most vulnerable neighbors, including lower income individuals, people of color, persons with disabilities, seniors on fixed incomes, and school children.
The fact remains—IndyGo’s Blue Line is one piece of a multipronged, generational investment for better service reliability, accessibility, and capital improvements—including new and improved sidewalks, ADA curb ramps, pavement, and more. And perhaps no corridor has greater need than Washington Street, which continues to suffer from deferred maintenance and deadly roadway design.
We don’t need to halt the Blue Line project to continue larger conversations around road funding and maintenance! What we do need is fiscal prudence, safer streets, improved accessibility, and a commitment for collaboration between our state and local elected officials.
Learn more on IndyGo’s Transit is Essential webpage and from Transit Drives Indy (and their past action alerts).
Recent media coverage:
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