Statement Released by Transportation Equity Network Director Laura Barrett, part of the Gamaliel Network. Laura Barrett has helped organizations win millions in public transportation funding, and has negotiated community benefit agreements and positive workforce development policies at the local, state, and federal levels of government. She holds a Master's in Social Work from Washington University and lives in Missouri
(St. Louis, MO.) --Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is right to bring up the effect that a sequester would have on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and air traffic safety in this country. But the untold story is more serious because cuts to transit, bus and train service will first impact low income people on their way to work.
Indeed, low-income people will be hurt by cuts to human services programs like Medicaid, but cuts to Amtrak, the New Starts program, which funds public transit projects and TIGER --the groundbreaking program that funds important sustainable transportation initiatives --will hurt working people, forcing many to skip work, pay for taxis out of limited budgets or lose their jobs altogether because of absenteeism or tardiness.
In addition, nearly $1 billion of the $8 billion added to the highway trust fund in 2013 will be cut - impacting job-creating highway programs. When we look ahead to 2014, these bone-chilling cuts will be extended to all transit programs as well as highway programs.
These cuts promise to be draconian in nature and will hurt working families and the middle class first.
(St. Louis, MO.) --Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is right to bring up the effect that a sequester would have on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and air traffic safety in this country. But the untold story is more serious because cuts to transit, bus and train service will first impact low income people on their way to work.
Indeed, low-income people will be hurt by cuts to human services programs like Medicaid, but cuts to Amtrak, the New Starts program, which funds public transit projects and TIGER --the groundbreaking program that funds important sustainable transportation initiatives --will hurt working people, forcing many to skip work, pay for taxis out of limited budgets or lose their jobs altogether because of absenteeism or tardiness.
In addition, nearly $1 billion of the $8 billion added to the highway trust fund in 2013 will be cut - impacting job-creating highway programs. When we look ahead to 2014, these bone-chilling cuts will be extended to all transit programs as well as highway programs.
These cuts promise to be draconian in nature and will hurt working families and the middle class first.
