February 25,
2010
- Special Edition
RCGA Board
Endorses St. Louis County Ballot Initiative to Improve Regional
Transit System
Today the RCGA's Board of Directors
approved a resolution supporting Proposition A, a St.
Louis County transit tax proposal that will appear on the April
6th ballot. The proposal calls for a
one-half cent sales tax increase for operations, maintenance and
expansion of MetroLink, MetroBus, and disabled and senior public
transportation.
The RCGA's endorsement is based on the
fact that a strong transit system is vital to the
economic growth, sustainability and competitiveness of the St.
Louis region. The RCGA has a long-standing policy
of increasing support for Metro, and is a member of the Greater
St. Louis Transit Alliance to improve and expand transit
throughout the region.
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Chesterfield Mayor John Nations, Chairman of the
Proposition A campaign, urges local businesses to take an active
role in securing passage of the ballot proposal in St. Louis
County on April 6th.
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RCGA Board Member and President and CEO of BJC
HealthCare Steven Lipstein, a member of the Steering Committee
for Prop A, talks about the critical importance of transit to the
region.
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Revenues generated from the tax could be
used in the following
areas:
- Restoring job access lost
during the 2009 service cutbacks
- Improving MetroBus services and
frequency
- Restoring Call-A-Ride access
- Increasing MetroLink
frequency
- Passenger improvements such as
security,
lighting, shelters,
benches, and
transit centers
- Technological improvements in
fare
collection, computer-aided
dispatch,
automated vehicle location, and
web-based applications
- Maintenance of existing
transit facilities
- Expansion of MetroLink
The new tax would generate approximately
$75
million a year for public
transportation. For more information about Prop A
click
here.
If you or your company would like
to donate to the Prop A campaign please visit AdvanceStLouis.com.
Area Business Leaders Support Prop
A
Many St. Louis business leaders have
endorsed Prop A because a strong transit system is vital to many
of their employees. Prior to the March 2009 service
reductions, 97% of all jobs in St. Louis City and County
could be reached by riding Metro transit.
Many local students also rely on Metro to
get to class every day, as Washington University
Chancellor Mark Wrighton noted when he received the
RCGA's "Right Arm of St. Louis" award in January (click on the
photo below to hear his remarks). Currently 10% of MetroBus
and 7% of MetroLink riders are students traveling to school.
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The Metro transit system also helps
residents and visitors get to special events, especially in
downtown St. Louis. In fact, 20% of St. Louis
Cardinals fans use Metro to get to and from games.
A good transit system is also an important factor in attracting
conventions to St. Louis, according to the St. Louis Convention
and Visitors Commission.
Click on the photos below to watch videos
about Prop A and how transit helps the St. Louis region.
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2009 Transit
Cuts
After a similar proposal failed by a
narrow
margin in 2008, Metro was forced
to reduce MetroBus service
by 44%, MetroLink by 32%, and Call-A-Ride
by 15%, impacting thousands
St. Louisans dependent on public
transportation. The transit system also was
forced
to lay off 600 workers, or 25% of its
workforce. Metro was able to restore some transit service
last summer thanks to the State of Missouri's allocation of
federal stabilization funds, but the transit agency will have to
make severe cutbacks yet again if Prop A fails this
April.
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A MetroLink passenger rail shuttle
travels along Forest Park Parkway.
MetroLink service was cut by 32%
last year after a 2008 transit proposal
failed by a narrow margin.
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Prop A Needs Your
Support!
A viable transit system is
clearly vital to the economic strength of the St. Louis
region. To stay informed about the
campaign, volunteer, or
donate visit AdvanceStLouis.com.
Also, if you live in St. Louis County
remember to mark your calendar for APRIL 6th to
vote YES on Proposition
A!
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