How do oil trolls keep getting elected: propaganda, and now, vote suppression.

Protest rally sets stage for Pa. voter ID hearing - CBS News: "HARRISBURG, Pa. — Hundreds of demonstrators descended on Pennsylvania's Capitol to protest a tough new voter ID law, launching a daylong political drama that set the stage for a state court hearing on a lawsuit seeking to prevent the law from taking effect this year."

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Free public transit is the best path to a green city

If free transit were introduced smoothly, it would be a big success. The money lost in lost fares would be re-gained immediately by elimination of the costs of collecting fares, and by the lowering of the unit cost of each rider.

More buses would be needed. But the city spends $180 million a year now just managing parking. And just imagine how much more shoppers would be around on foot. Delivery trucks could get in and out quicker with fewer cars blocking them.

Here is how to implement. Reduce the SEPTA Transpass price by one dollar every month. Everyone would know what is coming and when.

Free transit works. Click here to see who has it now.

#occupy national gathering in Philadelphia #natgat

http://www.occupywallstreet.net/event/june-30-july-4-natgat

Gas & Oil Party destroying #publictransit

Why SEPTA is Heading for a Crash | Philadelphia City Paper | 06/21/2012: "Last year, SEPTA’s subways, trolleys, commuter rails and buses supplied nearly 334 million rides — its highest ridership in 22 years.

However, the nation’s sixth-largest transit system is not contemplating expanding services to meet the growing demand. Instead, Republican hostility in Washington and Harrisburg is pushing SEPTA and other public-transit agencies nationwide to the brink of fiscal — and physical — ruin."

FTA - News Releases - U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $10 Million TIGER Grant for New Rail Transportation Center in Delaware

FTA - News Releases - U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $10 Million TIGER Grant for New Rail Transportation Center in Delaware: "NEWARK, Del. – The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced a $10 million grant to build a new regional rail transportation center on the proposed University of Delaware Science and Technology campus. The project is one of 47 projects in 34 states and the District of Columbia selected to receive funding under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s highly competitive $500 million TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) 2012 program."

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Young People Are Driving Less—And Not Just Because They're Broke - News - GOOD

Young People Are Driving Less—And Not Just Because They're Broke - News - GOOD: "As a result of decades of car-oriented land use policy, private automobiles are a necessity for many Americans. Even most urban areas of the Sunbelt—Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles—are barely traversable by foot, bike or train. Despite this reality, Americans seem to be driving less and returning to cities with a diversity of transit options. (I’ve chosen Philadelphia: We still have trolleys!) Young people, especially, are waiting longer to buy cars, and we’re driving less once we get them. Are norms are changing, or is it just the tough economy? Business Insider posits a strong link between this data and the recession: As unemployment goes up, Americans drive less—because many of them suddenly don’t have work to drive to, or because they simply can’t afford to maintain a car."

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Walkshed Philadelphia | Personal and Precise Walkability Mapping

Walkshed Philadelphia | Personal and Precise Walkability Mapping: "Walkability means different things to different people. Empty nesters may enjoy being near a wide variety of restaurants and theaters. Runners and families might prefer easy access to parks and playgrounds. Young professionals and students may like the nightlife in certain neighborhoods. All of these people love and value walkability, but they all have different preferences that shape it.

Using Azavea’s DecisionTree calculation engine, Walkshed is able to dynamically account for each person’s preferences "

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Wealthy are free-riders

A sorry story of transit and taxes: State legislators support the wealthy over the many who need mass transit - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Another problem is that our entire tax system is set up to reward people who least need it, even as the rest of us see a steady decline in our standard of living and in the public services we have a right to expect. Transit is only one example; education is another.

A study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy showed that in Pennsylvania if your family income was between $35,000 and $56,000 in 2007 (that is, if your income put you in the middle 20 percent), you typically paid over 9 percent of your income in state and local taxes. But if you were in the top 1 percent -- with a household income in 2007 of more than $428,000 -- you typically paid less than 4 percent of your income in state and local taxes after federal offsets."

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Transit ridership rises, thanks to young commuters and high gas prices

Transit ridership rises, thanks to young commuters and high gas prices: "Nationwide last year, buses, subways, and trains had their second-highest ridership since 1957 - behind only 2008, when the price of gas topped $4 a gallon. Locally, SEPTA, NJ Transit, and PATCO all report increased ridership."

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The more you use #publictransit, the more you get to like it

Car Lovers Like Mass Transit More Than They Think - Commute - The Atlantic Cities: "Among the study's finer details, it's interesting to note that rider ratings on every criteria rose over the course of the month. So not only did habitual drivers enjoy their transit commute more than they thought they would, but their enjoyment went up the more they rode. The trial even seemed to have a lasting impact on drivers: when asked to rate their feelings on transit once more, two weeks after the test's conclusion, they remained as satisfied as they'd been by the end of the month."

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New Study: Millennials Prefer Car “Access Over Ownership” | TheCityFix

New Study: Millennials Prefer Car “Access Over Ownership” | TheCityFix: "Here are some key findings from the study:

• 55 percent have actively made an effort to drive less, compared to 45 percent in the same 2010 study
• 78 percent say owning a car is difficult due to high costs of gas and maintenance
• 53 percent  would participate in a car-sharing service, like Zipcar – mobility and convenience is still important
• Millennials are the most likely age group to participate in the “sharing economy” (67 percent would participate in media sharing and 49 percent in home/vacation sharing)
• 40 percent  say they would participate to save more money for retirement or buying a home"

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People want public #transit, but frackers run the PA government

Rabbit Transit ridership rises with gas prices, hiring - York Dispatch: "Whatever the reason, ridership continues to increase this year, Farr said. For January, Rabbit Transit provided 129,380 fixed-route rides and 7,728 express, or commuter, rides. In January 2011, the bus service provided 111,204 route and 5,931 express rides.
For the month of February, 133,956 route and 7,654 express trips were provided this year compared to 118,596 fixed and 5,962 express rides in 2011.
Ride requests continue to grow as Rabbit Transit is getting calls and emails from people interested in more rides going east and west on Route 30 and to Harrisburg, Farr said.
Funding: However, with the state transportation funding in crisis, Rabbit Transit cannot get the additional money needed to expand services, Farr said. There is no state funding available to fix local buses or purchase new buses for additional runs, he added.
"It's both the best of times and the worst of times for us," he said, referring to Rabbit Transit's ridership increases amid its financial challenges."

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