Opportunity in an Epidemic - Transit Funding in the Covd 19 Stimulus Bill

If you act now, we can get better transit here and complete our planned rapid transit years sooner that was previously possible.

A two trillion dollar Covid 19 bipartisan infrastructure stimulus bill is expected to be introduced in the US House or Representatives on April 20. Lowcountry Congressmen James Clyburn and Joe Cunningham are both working on it now and we’ve been in contact with their staff about transit. While the current draft of the bill wastes far too much money on sprawl inducing road construction, the bill could include the funding needed to improve public transit across the US.

Please sign and share our online petition calling for the 25 billion in transit funding for Covid 19 response already approved and the trillions of dollars in future funding be used, in part, to improve transit in the Lowcountry. https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/support-covid-19-infrastructure-recovery-act-funding-for-lowcountry-public-transit.html?fbclid=IwAR3KNfHFEYTc4HTgken8qJrRmKvxI3-SkC6hRNInKSUx2I2tpLPLTREIDfQ

We just got off a national teleconference with transit equity organizers in over 20 cities. We plan to complete preparation of materials and launch our advocacy effort on Wed. April 8.

This bill could improve the quality of life and mobilty for every American, build affordable housing and needed infrastructure to deal with sea level rise and climate change, all critical issues to the Lowcountry.
These investments should be controlled and owned by the public. However there are well organized forces trying to influence the bill that want to move the US to an ownership, equity, wealth creation model where our roads, transit systems and affordable housing are privately owned and publically subsidized without accountability or transparency to the citizens. They’ve been planning a privatized transportation system which eliminates public transit and public controlled roads with free public access  for years. You can read one such Typical call for privatization of public roads, transit and infrastructure, in Forbes Magazine- https://www.forbes.com/sites/waynecrews/2020/03/31/phase-4-coronavirus-infrastructure-spending-to-start-at-2-trillion/#421c178a7099

Please sign the petition now. We know it’s a detailed document, but elected representatives will only respect the informed and precise input of voters under emergency conditions. A meaningless make public transit better blurb will only obtain a meaningless we love public transit response. Details are the mother of ac-countably, demanded and delivered.

Please feel free to contact Best Friends of Lowcountry Transit with your ideas and input. Contact Executive director William Hamilton at (843) 870-5299 or by email at mailto:wjhamilton29464@gmail.com?subject=Public Transit in the Lowcountry