By Ron Thaniel
March 3, 2003

Speaking at the Annual Leadership Meeting in Key West, Federal Transit Administrator Jennifer L. Dorn, Conference Transportation and Communications Committee Chair Fort Worth Mayor Kenneth L. Barr identified key legislative priorities intended to stimulate the economy.

"As I see it, the strength of our argument is in the role local governments' play in providing job growth and economic stimulus. Investment in transportation is a vehicle to accomplish both," Barr said, adding that, "transportation is an economic stimulus, creating jobs and helps ensure that cities thrive."

"For every $1 billion dollars invested in transportation development in local communities, over 42,000 jobs are created. These funds help our local areas thrive and promote strong business development," Barr said.

In introducing FTA Administrator Jennifer Dorn, Mayor Barr highlighted the Conference's reauthorization platform and in particular key priorities in the transit program.

Barr said that the Conference of Mayors recommends a substantial increase in transit investment to keep pace with the dramatic increase in ridership.

In addition, Barr stated "We also support retaining the 80/20 new starts matching share for transit to ensure that options for future transportation investments are not biased toward one investment over another."

Other key Conference priorities include:

• Retain the basic principles of TEA-21.
• Preserve and grow the transit program from $7.5 billion to $14 billion and the highway program from $34 billion to $41 billion by FY 2009.
• Suballocate surface transportation funds to metropolitan areas to be used on important local projects.
• Require accountability and performance based measures of state transportation agencies and metropolitan planning organizations (MPO).
• Dedicate funding to expand programs in transit and intermodalism, congestion mitigation and air quality control, and mega projects.

Dorn Tells Mayors Budget Reflects Reauthorization

Thanking the mayors for their leadership on transportation, Administrator Dorn shared the FY04 FTA budget and a glimpse into the Administration's TEA-21 reauthorization proposal. Agreeing with the mayors, Administrator Dorn noted, "Transportation is the engine of economic growth."

Dorn told the mayors, "The President's budget is good news for all of us who care about public transportation. In the face of enormous and costly national challenges — fighting terrorism, protecting our homeland, and promoting economic growth — the FY 2004 budget signals the high priority that President Bush and Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta place on our national transportation system."

"I am especially proud that they support sustaining the record level of Federal investment in public transportation," said Dorn. Identifying with the mayors, Dorn stated "if I put myself in the shoes of a mayor, I would want adequate resources — enough money from the Federal government to maintain and even grow the public transportation in my city; predictable funding from year to year — so that I can plan, partner, and invest in public transportation; and local flexibility — so I can make decisions that reflect the needs of my community."

"These principles are, in fact, the cornerstone of the President's budget and reauthorization proposal."

Further providing a glimpse into the Administration's reauthorization proposal, Dorn stated "it made sense to construct a budget proposal that reflects the program simplification and streamlining that we intend to propose in reauthorization."

Key highlights of Dorn's presentation includes:

• The FTA budget proposes to sustain the level of funding for the urbanized area programs at $4.7 billion, including moving the fixed guideway modernization formula program from the Capital Investment Account to the Urbanized Area Formula Account.
• The President's budget proposes to grow the New Starts program by 25 percent ($300 million). Dorn noted "this is good news, particularly for smaller, growing cities and those who are just beginning to consider the value of making a major investment in transit."

In closing, Dorn told the mayors that, "This Administration is committed to giving local communities both the means and the opportunity to make their own decisions about public transportation, particularly for programs that provide transportation for elderly, low income, and persons with disabilities."

"We have significantly increased planning funds, and we will require that States fund only projects that emerge as priorities in a coordinated local planning process. We think that just makes goods sense," said Dorn.

Thanking Dorn, Mayor Barr stated that the mayors stand ready to work with the Administration on reauthorization TEA-21.