St. Louis Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Transit Measure
HALF-CENT SALES TAX WILL IMPROVE METRO

Yesterday, 63% of voters in St. Louis County approved a half-cent sales tax increase to support the Metro regional transit system. The countywide sales tax, known as Proposition A, is expected to generate about $75 million a year, which will be used to expand service and restore cuts to bus routes that were made after voters rejected a tax increase in November 2008. It also automatically triggers a matching quarter-cent sales tax that was approved by voters in the city of St.Louis in 1997. This second tax will generate an additional $8 million a year for Metro.

This was the second transit election of 2010 and the second win! A sales tax increase in Walla Walla, WA was approved by 76% of the voters in February. Upcoming elections include a sales tax measure in Bellingham, WA on the April 27 ballot and property tax measures on the ballot in Glen Dale and Huntington, West Virginia on  May 11.

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Center For Transportation Excellence

New Poll Shows High Level of Support for Transit 
POLL SHOWS SUPPORT FOR TAXES TO FUND TRANSIT

The results of a new nationwide poll demonstrate that a majority of voters in every type of community--urban, suburban, small town and rural--believe that a larger portion of transportation spending should go towards public transit. Even more importantly, a majority of voters are willing to increase their own taxes to expand or improve their transportation options. 

The survey, conducted on behalf of Transportation for America, was designed to assess the attitudes of registered voters towards public transportation, walking and biking.  The results of the poll are overwhelmingly in favor of increasing transportation choices and funding.  This support has been regularly demonstrated at the ballot box over the past decade, as CFTE has documented that 70% of transportation ballot measures have been approved by voters. For communities struggling to provide the necessary financial support for public transportation, these results can help support the decision to place a funding measure on the local or regional ballot. 

Many campaigns struggle with how to convince the segment of voters that do not use the transit system that it is worth voting to support.  In the recent St. Louis campaign, slogans like "Some of us ride it. All of us need it." have been used to get that message to voters. The survey found that this message resonates, as more than a quarter of respondents said that the most compelling reason for improving and expanding public transportation would be to provide more affordable transportation choices to those who need them and to enable people to get where they need to go.

More information on the poll results can be found here.

2010 Elections
PREVIEW OF APRIL & MAY MEASURES

Whatcom County, WA -Prop 1 to Preserve Public Transit
On April 27th voters in Whatcom County, WA will have the opportunity to raise the local sales tax an additional 0.02 percent to prevent future transit cuts.
Transit ridership has been growing in Whatcom County, Washington at a record pace. Whatcom Transit Authority (WTA) reports that between 2006 and 2009 ridership on WTA buses increased by 52 percent. However, the current economic climate has forced WTA to make over $2 million in cuts and they are facing over $4 million in additional cuts over the next year.
Campaign website: http://www.preserveourpublictransit.org/pitch-in

Glen Dale, WV
On May 11th voters in Glen Dale, WV will vote on a bus service tax levy. The tax would go towards paying the city's share of funding for any deficit of capital or operating costs, which is estimated at $90,796 per year. The Ohio Valley Regional Transportation Authority provides bus service for the city of Glen Dale.

Huntington, WV
When voters in Huntington, WV head to the polls on May 11th, they will be asked to renew the Tri-State Transit Authority (TTA) levy. The TTA levy is a five-year levy that will begin July 1, 2012 and is a renewal of the current levy. The approximate total amount of funds needed is $1,473,069 and the amount to be generated for the five fiscal years will be $7,365,345, according to the ordinance.

Six Stops to Success
PUTTING YOUR TRANSPORTATION MESSAGE IN SERVICE

REGISTER NOW!

The fifth session in our six-part series is in two weeks! Register now to join us on April 23 at 1:00pm EDT for Social Media: Friending, Tweeting & Blogging Your Way to Success.  This session will be moderated by Stephanie Vance, Partner at Advocacy Associates. The panelists will include Andrew Schmid, Government and Community Relations Specialist at Sound Transit in Seattle, WA and Jeff Wood, New Media Director/Chief Cartographer at Reconnecting America in Oakland.

To register, please visit www.cfte.org or www.napta.net!

COMPLETED WEBINARS:
View Recordings and Slideshows online!

• Friday, November 13, 2009
  Election Trends: Learning from the Past and Looking to the Future 
• Friday, January 15, 2010
  Getting Started on a Ballot Measure Campaign
• Friday, February 19, 2010
  Building a Winning Coalition
• Friday, March 26, 2010
  Making Your Message Matter
  

• Friday, April 23, 2010
  Social Media: Friending, Tweeting & Blogging Your Way to Success
• Friday, May 14, 2010
  Silencing the Naysayers