contact: Donna Aggazio
(202) 496-4884
daggazio@apta.com
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 3, 2003 - We appreciate the
Bush Administration's continued support for public transportation, but
the public transportation industry is disappointed that the proposed budget
does not address growing investment needs.
Freezing the investment in public transportation at current
levels will hinder economic growth. Investing in public transportation
is a vital element of our economy, generating $6 or more in economic activity
for every dollar invested. Unfortunately, America's transit systems are
struggling to keep up with the strain of increasing demands and aging
infrastructure. Public transportation's needs are dramatic and estimated
to total $44 billion a year. Increased investment in our nation's public
transportation infrastructure would also advance the President's goal
of improving the environment and reducing dependence on foreign oil.
APTA also believes that the current 80 percent match
for both highways and public transit projects should be retained and not
decreased to 50 percent for public transportation new starts projects.
This provides for a level playing field and promotes more equitable local
decision making when planning new transportation projects.
We look forward to working with the Bush Administration
and Congress to increase support for both public transportation and highways
by investing the necessary funds in both the FY 2004 budget and in the
reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century,
which expires in September.
APTA is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. APTA members serve more than 90 percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada.
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.
