Last week, CIRTA went public with it’s message focused on building a coalition of transit supporters. The effort includes a spot on their website to sign your name to a petition as well as a means of organizations crafting a resolution of support for dedicated transit funding in the upcoming 2012 Legislative Session. As I posted about a couple weeks back, Urban Indy passed the resolution on April 12th, far ahead of the public roll-out of the current effort.
What does this all mean? It means that we are all banding together with a common message to our state legislators: Give us the means to pass a dedicated and substantial funding source for mass transit. If a law is passed, it could mean a referendum to vote on the proposed Indyconnect plan rolled out late last year, in the 2012 general election. It would also likely lead to the creation of a body to plan, build & operate such a system although the details of such a body are still fuzzy.
For now, building a large group or supporters who are all on the same page will be pivotal in urging our state legislators to move ahead a bill that would allow us to vote on a transit funding source. Do your part, and please, sign the petition.
Roughly 2,000 signatures so far. It has slowed considerably in the last few days. They will go out to fairs and festivals all summer long to collect signatures. I hope this is nowhere close to a good estimate of the number of people who truly care about the mass transit.
On the bright side, 2,000 people who truly care about it is enough to start grassroots group that could contribute time & money to this effort. They should use the mailing list wisely.
Moving to Indy soon!!! Spoiled over here in Muncie with MITS… I only hear complaints about IndyGo and complaints about the lack of opportunities to park and ride in from the suburbs. If you want to bring more people downtown, and to revitalize these neighborhoods, THIS needs to be a priority for Indianapolis!!!
Lizz