U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) spoke about the need to support sustainable communities at a forum hosted by MPC on Sept. 28, 2010.
On Monday, MPC was honored to host a forum with U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), organized by U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). In his remarks, he emphasized three concepts that are effective when talking with his constituents and fellow lawmakers. People get energized about the need for smarter policies and renewed investment in transportation, water infrastructure, and affordable housing when you break it down into the building blocks of healthy communities: vision, value and citizen infrastructure.
Blumenauer acknowledged we can’t just talk about a new infusion of transportation dollars to support roads, rails and bridges. He and Schakowsky both spoke to the need for a new and visionary national policy, one that prioritizes sustainable investments that connect jobs, homes and transportation options; helps people drive less and save time, money and fuel; creates jobs by sparking economic development; and reduces air pollution. They said we must start using criteria to prioritize investments and explore transportation innovations, such as congestion pricing, which can squeeze more capacity out of our existing system and get more bang for our buck. Finally, they looked to everyone in the room – an impressive gathering of elected and appointed officials, agency heads, business people, civic leaders and advocates – to be creative, share their ideas, and insist on progress.
Vision, value and citizen infrastructure – talking about how our lives will benefit from these changes sure plays a lot better in Peoria than leading with a gas tax increase. At the forum, I shared a personal story that reinforced for me the power of leading with the benefits. My 11-year-old son received an assignment last year in fifth grade to develop his political platform, as if he were running for office. I was so proud of him when he said he’d pledge to improve Chicago’s recycling program, expand food banks, and raise the gas tax. He was actually listening to our dinner table conversations! My son understood that more revenue from a gas tax would discourage some driving and help expand transit. But, he told me that his classmates – who don’t have their driver’s licenses, but do receive allowances – balked at the idea of paying more to drive.
While it’s been nearly 17 years since the U.S. raised its gas tax, it’s a tough time to convince people that more money is the solution – no matter what the problem. This week’s forum was a good reminder that we need to do a much better job of showing people what they’re going to get for their hard-earned money.
Blumenauer spoke about the next surface transportation funding bill – long in the works and now expected to be taken up by Congress in 2011 – as the opportunity to establish a “new vision for how we’re going to rebuild this country,” and to streamline the various agencies and regulations involved in making that happen – such as the astonishing 108 distinct federal surface transportation programs! He proudly held up his own state of Oregon, where one comprehensive plan guides the growth of 36 counties and 267 municipalities – and it works. He talked about helping people reduce their two greatest living expenses – housing and transportation – by investing in projects that create and preserve affordable homes near jobs and transportation options. That’s the vision.
Both representatives agreed the next transportation bill needs to be “performance driven” and mode neutral – in other words, we need to move away from separate funding streams for road projects versus transit projects versus pedestrian projects and toward funding projects that achieve multiple goals. For example, Blumenauer noted more jobs are created per $1 million invested in a bike path than in an interchange, and said such benefits should be taken into account when rating projects. Blumenauer also talked about the need to reinvest in our water infrastructure, so we can stop leaking so much water each day – nationwide, enough to fill 9,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Investments that curb waste help us get more out of dollars we invested 20, 30, even 50 years ago. That’s value.
Both Congressmen Schakowsky and Blumenauer challenged those in the room to provide them and their colleagues with the “backbone” to make tough choices, and the creative ideas to spur innovation. Noting Oregon’s successes may be viewed as outliers, Blumenauer emphasized “it’s places like Chicago, the heartland of the nation” that need to take a lead on sustainability and making smarter investments. That’s citizen infrastructure. As evidenced by Monday’s turnout, metropolitan Chicago has that in spades.
MPC was proud to host Blumenauer and Schakowsky, two elected officials who deserve kudos for supporting the Livable Communities Act. The act would help achieve all three goals by creating an interagency Council on Sustainable Communities and an Office on Sustainable Housing, eliminating federal barriers to sustainable development, and authorizing regional planning and implementation grants to make communities more livable. Last week, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing on the Livable Communities Act, an important step to passing this act. Please take a moment today to visit our Advocacy page and send a letter to your representative, asking him or her to join Blumenauer, Schakowsky and the bill’s other cosponsors in supporting the Livable Communities Act. (Please note: U.S. Reps. Michael Quigley and Deborah Halvorson from this region also are signed on in support of the bill, so if these are your representatives, please take a moment to edit the letter to thank them for their support!)
Please also consider joining the coalition of Illinois organizations, including MPC, working in partnership with Transportation for America to shape and advance the next surface transportation bill. To get involved, contact outreach@t4america.org.