Wisconsin Mayors, WISPIRG Applaud Congressman Petri’s Vote Against House Transportation Bill

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WISPIRG

MADISON, Feb. 21 – With the House Ways and Means Committee proposal to deprive mass transit of a dedicated funding source moving out of committee in the last 2 weeks, Congressman Tom Petri (R-WI) stood up for transit and its importance to local communities across Wisconsin by voting against the House Transportation Bill.

“At a time where job growth is critical to the future of our country, it is all too important that we retain and build on our infrastructure.  Business growth and development opportunities depend on it. To simply gut the very infrastructure we need is short sighted and dangerous.  Our people and our country deserve better more sustainable decisions from our elected officials,” said Racine mayor John Dickert, president of the Wisconsin Urban Alliance.

“Our challenge going forward is to develop a public transportation system that decreases our dependence on foreign oil and preserves citizens individual freedom of mobility,” said Mayor Timothy Hanna of Appleton.

“America should be reducing our dependence on oil; you don’t accomplish that by cutting funding for transit and committing to drill for more oil,” Said Kyle Bailey, WISPIRG Program Associate. “If you were to dream up legislation to maximize America’s addiction to oil, it would look pretty much like this.”

“For Big Oil and the highway lobby, this is a dream, but it’s a nightmare for America’s transportation future. These cuts would impede 21st century transportation projects that reduce traffic, foster economic development, and provide more choices for travelers,“ continued Bailey.

The House bill would dramatically undercut transit funding – breaking with decades of legislation signed by President Reagan to support public transit through a small portion of the federal gas tax, by shifting all those funds to highways. The result would be massive cuts in funding for transit, harming communities across the country and across Wisconsin. The transportation bill has passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee, and is expected to be brought to the floor of the House for a full vote in the coming weeks.

 “Congressman Petri has long been a champion of transit and a vibrant, multi-modal transportation system for Wisconsin,” said Bailey.  “Public transit is vital to Wisconsin – connecting workers to businesses, providing affordable options for trips to the doctor, the library, or school, and is a critical component of economic growth and development.  We appreciate and applaud Rep. Petri’s continued leadership on this important issue.”

“We need a transportation system and a transportation bill for the 21st century. The House Transportation Bill instead harkens back to the mid-20th century,” concluded Bailey.  “We look forward to working with Congressman Petri and Congressional leaders to advance a proposal that takes us forward rather than backwards.”