When you contact our representatives, please also ask them to not change the threshold for MPO designation or to at least maintain the existing MPO’s.
In addition to eliminating TE & SRTS funding, this legislation could also contain a provision to potentially eliminate MPO’s for areas with populations less than 200,000 including our MPO. Please support small MPO’s when you contact your legislators.
Frank
Begin forwarded message:
From: Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net Date: January 28, 2012 10:51:53 AM EST To: Bicycle Board bikeboard@cheat.org Cc: Christiaan Abildso christiaan.abildso@mail.wvu.edu Subject: Critical vote for West Virginia's representatives
Please urge our representative, David McKinley to support the amendment which will protect Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Take Action here: http://capwiz.com/lab/issues/alert/?alertid=60787356&PROCESS=Take+Action
TE is the fund that supported our education program. SRTS is a high priority SRTS recommendation in our Bicycle Plan.
On Thursday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is going to vote on an amendment to preserve Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Please see this blog post for more background http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2012/01/house-bill-threatens-to-eliminate-bi....
In addition, Rep. Rahall, http://www.rahall.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=91 is the ranking member of the T&I committee and his vote could make or break the outcome of the amendment vote (it could also sway others’ votes). It is very, very important that he hears from his constituents. Help spread the word to people living in Rep. Rahall’s district 3 or, as I did, write him. (I just copied the message that LAB has at the link ahead.) Congresswoman Capito (WV-2) also has an important vote (but I couldn't figure out how to send her an e-mail).
If you have any questions, please follow up with Darren Flusche at LAB Darren Flusche Darren@bikeleague.org or Caron Whitaker at America Bikes Caron Whitaker caron@americabikes.org. This is an issue that has wide ranging impacts for safety, health, transportation, and beyond.
Frank