Funding for Pedestrian/ADA Improvements [HB 1098/SB 1221]

Despite widespread public support for sidewalk and ADA improvements, local entities have struggled to dedicate general revenue funds for these commitments. Even when the commitment is made, in tight budget times, asked to balance against health services or other vigilant constituencies, sidewalk improvements are cut or when included in larger transportation projects, as cost overruns mount, sidewalks are the "amenity" that gets cut. This bill will provide a predictable and dedicated source of revenue for municipalities to develop public connections and public spaces that all of their citizens can use and appreciate.

Things you can do:
Please thank Chairman Capelo (D-Corpus Christi) and Senator Hinojosa (D-McAllen) for their sponsorship of this bill.

The House bill has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee. If you live in Dallas please write Chairman Fred Hill [http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist112/hill.htm] requesting a hearing on this bill, let him know why sidewalks and access is improvements would be important to you, and ask him to let you know when his committee will hear this bill so that you can give testimony on the bill.

Coordinating and Consolidating Public Transportation [HB 3343]

This bill gives the Texas Department of Transportation the authority to coordinate all public transportation, including human service transportation, statewide. TxDOT would utilize federal funding for each of the programs and substitute Fund 006 (fuel tax revenues), rather than the funds currently used by the various agencies, to provide at least equivalent levels of funding and service to what is available currently.

"The commission by rule may require any state agency that is responsible for ensuring the delivery of public transportation (defined broadly) to contract with the department for the department to assume all responsibilities of that agency relating to the provision of transportation services." Programs specifically included are: Texas Department of Health, Texas Workforce Commission, Protective and Regulatory Services, Department of Human Services, Commission for the Blind, Texas Department on Aging, Texas Rehabilitation Commission, Texas Commission of Alcohol and Drug Abuse,and Mental Health and Mental Retardation.

Coordination has been a "holy grail" of transportation for years because there may be some efficiency gained by having transportation providers actually cooperatively planning and providing services; just as important, it can be a way to provide seamless transportation services to the people who rely on transit.

We have provided testimony to both the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the House Government Reform Committee. The house sponsor is convening a meeting of interested parties to see if consensus can be reached on how to accomplish the desired outcome of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Medicaid Transportation. For more information on the issue see the Comptroller's e-recommendation HHS3 [http://www.window.state.tx.us/etexas2003/hhs03.html]. For the testimony provided by Just Transportation Alliances e-mail glenn@JustTransportation.org.

Regional Mobility Authorities [HB 2459]

This bill creates a new regional authority to finance, design, and build any type of transportation infrastructure project (rail, road, toll road, pathway, transmission lines, airports, ports, etc.). As this regional capacity matures it could supplant TxDOT's predominance over transportation decision-making in metropolitan regions and place decision making in an arena where citizens have much more of a voice. This bill needs some work and it is a risk, because it could simply be a new way to build more roads only; however, the bill allows for much more flexibility. It will be up to local constituents to help decision makers take advantage of this flexibility.

JTA staff and advocates have been working with the author, Rep. Krusee, who has been very willing to work with a broad number of constituents/interests to make this a fair and good systemic change in transportation policy. Currently we are working to make changes on four points: connection to region planning, accountability, environmental impact protections, and public involvement.

Texas Mobility Fund Update

March 14, 2003 - With the filing deadline of today, there is only a slight chance that we will have a sponsor interested in introducing a "stand alone" bill to dedicate a portion of this fund to public transportation. There are some possibilities that the issue could become an amendment to another bill. We have had productive conversations about the need for this bill and even a willingness to support the issue; however, without money in the fund no one has been willing to work hard on a "policy" issue that may be irrelevant if money is not found this session. We may be one session ahead of our time, although we are not giving up on this important message.

Things you can do:
Send a letter to your Representative and Senator [Find your member - http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/fyi/fyi.htm] letting them know that you want them to support walking, public transit, paratransit, etc., as well as road construction, to get a true "system of transportation" that works for you. Make sure they understand why this is important to you (this is your area of expertise and it will be important for them to hear).

Texas' Crisis in Transportation: A Report on Transportation Funding

Released in summer 2002, this report argues that the true crisis in transportation is not a lack of funds but a lack of vision on the part of the State of Texas. Click here to download the PDF.

State and Federal Policy Priorities of Just Transportation Alliance Partners

JTA statewide network partners met in May 2002 to develop the Alliance's state and federal policy priorities. Click here to download the PDF file.

New Horizons: Getting More Mileage Out of the Gas Tax and other State Transportation Issues

For more information on JTA's policy work at the State Level, see our White Papers section.