Greater than $50 billion in state and native transit funding measures can be on the Nov. 5 poll throughout the U.S., stated Jessica Grennan, government director of the American Public Transportation Affiliation’s Middle for Transportation Excellence, talking on a panel at an APTA convention Oct. 1.
The observe report for transit-funding measures is robust. Within the final 5 years, greater than 86% have handed, and 26 out of 27 measures have already handed this yr in earlier elections, Grennan stated. “Poll measures are an vital a part of the transit funding panorama on this nation.” In response to APTA’s Middle for Transportation Excellence, 19 transit measures are on the Nov. 5, 2024, poll.
However Grennan warned that such measures are getting costlier to placed on the poll, the place a minimal variety of registered-voter signatures are required, and to speak their worth to voters. She expects a excessive voter turnout this November, which implies advocates want to succeed in out to extra individuals.
“None of our poll measures function alone,” she stated, noting that competing measures and marketing campaign spending for the presidential candidates can affect how voters reply. “We now have to seek out methods for transit to interrupt by way of the noise,” she added.
The message that goes out to voters is important for achievement, defined Tony Cani, a public affairs strategist and founding father of Slingshot Campaigns, on the convention. Telling voters {that a} transit measure goes to create jobs is a non-starter.
“We did a ton of analysis and we discovered that voters simply do not imagine that,” he stated. What does resonate with voters is the promise of decrease site visitors congestion, time financial savings and security. “With regards to the message, we’re specializing in the truth that individuals have extra time to spend with their households” Cani stated.
Two panelists spoke of their efforts to get transit poll measures handed of their communities. In 2018, Nashville, Tennessee sought to increase its transit system with an formidable $5.4 billion plan centered on a brand new gentle rail line. Voters defeated the measure by a 64% to 36% margin.
However a brand new mayor was elected in Nashville final yr: Freddie O’Connell, a former chair of the Metro Nashville Transit Authority.
“He ran [for mayor] on transit,” stated Amanda Vandegrift, deputy CEO of finance and administration for WeGo Public Transit, the brand new model identify for the transit company. O’Connell’s “Select How You Transfer” program, which can be on the Nov. 5 poll for Davidson County voters, emphasizes extra pedestrian infrastructure, 24-hour public transit service, good site visitors alerts to cut back delays and road security enhancements. “That is actually centered on the fundamentals,” Vandegrift stated.
The referendum on November’s poll is a roughly $3 billion plan financed by a half-cent gross sales tax that can sundown when it’s not wanted, plus federal grants and fare field revenues. Observers see far much less opposition to the present measure than in 2018.
The Central Ohio Transit Authority is asking voters to approve a 0.75% gross sales tax to fund an $8 billion plan to construct three bus speedy transit corridors, put money into greater than 500 miles of sidewalks, bikeways and trails by 2050 and improve transit service by 45%. “It is actually about supporting the elevated housing we’d like in addition to the workforce,” stated Monica Tellez-Fowler, president and CEO at COTA.
