Transportation

WISPIRG Calls For 21st Century Transit

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IMPROVING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS—WISPIRG is calling for increased investment in public transit and high speed and intercity rail, including high speed rail service between Madison and Milwaukee.

In October, WISPIRG was joined by Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities and community leaders to call on the next president and Congress to strengthen our local and national economies by building a 21st century transportation system.

WISPIRG and our partners in the Transportation for America Campaign (T4) released a new report calling for investment in public transit, high-speed and intercity rail, neighborhoods that are less car-dependent, and the restoration of thousands of roads and bridges in failing condition across the United States.

“We’ve launched a bold agenda that will be a win-win for citizens here in Wisconsin and across the country: we’ll be reducing our dependence on foreign oil and cuting global warming pollution, while simultaneously creating jobs that will put Americans back to work and stimulate our struggling economy,” said WISPIRG’s Bruce Speight.

High Speed Rail in Wisconsin?

Also in October, legislation was passed to strengthen the nation’s intercity passenger rail network to accommodate record ridership and make new routes possible.

The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act authorizes close to $13 billion over five years to promote rail travel, relieve bottlenecks and begin investing in a new generation of high speed rail, potentially including high speed rail service between Madison and Milwaukee.

Investment in modern public transportation projects would help shield Americans from wildly fluctuating fuel prices, and create more permanent jobs and long-term economic benefits than money spent on new roads. More and better public transportation would also reduce dependence on oil, relieve traffic congestion and cut global warming.

Financial Security

Wall Street Bailout: Where Did All The Money Go?

As Congress and President Bush rushed to pass legislation to bail out Wall Street last fall, Ed Mierzwinski, a senior fellow in WISPIRG’s Washington, D.C., office, warned that the law didn’t do enough to hold banks accountable or protect the interests of most Americans.

“The hastily developed law gave unprecedented spending authority to a single individual in the administration, but it lacked basic protections for taxpayers and assistance to homeowners,” said Mierzwinski.

For example, in December, the government invested $20 billion in Citigroup and backed more than $300 billion worth of the company’s loans and securities.

“It’s sweet for Citigroup,” said Mierzwinski, in a story posted on TheHill.com, “[but] I don’t see the taxpayers getting the benefits they need. ”

WISPIRG and other state PIRGs are backing a detailed set of reforms to re-regulate Wall Street, protect taxpayers, and hold the financial industry accountable. For more details, visit our “Wall Street Oversight” page.

WISPIRG
Citizen Advocate
Winter 2009
Vol. 21, No. 2

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Transportation

High Speed Rail in Wisconsin?

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