AUGUSTA - Rep. Maggie O'Neil, D-Saco, introduced a measure on Tuesday to make historic investments in Maine's public transit system.
"Stronger public transit will promote equity, reduce our carbon emissions and boost our economy in communities across Maine," said O'Neil. "This proposal will transform our public transit infrastructure. It will support our communities in designing and providing better public transit options, and it will bring more voices to the table as we create statewide transit priorities. To truly work well, public transit must be convenient and affordable. We can't achieve those objectives without adequate resources and robust public input. These initiatives will improve Mainer's quality of life right now and lay the groundwork for a sustainable future that works for all of us."
LD 1559 would increase state investment in public transit by $38.6 million, replacing expiring federal subsidies, providing additional support for bus transit operation and capital funds and creating community transit planning grants. The bill would also strengthen Maine's transit planning and stakeholder process by adding new members to Maine's existing Public Transit Advisory Council and convening the council more frequently to establish priorities for public transit in Maine. In recent years, the council has met only once per year.
At a public hearing on the measure Tuesday, a broad coalition of advocates who helped to develop the bill touted the benefits of a strong public transit system for Maine communities. They included Maine Youth Action, the Biddeford and Saco Chamber of Commerce, GrowSmart Maine, the Maine Council on Aging and local leaders, among others.
"The one thing that needs to be absolutely clear is this: LD 1559 is a critical investment into our youth and our future," said Cole Cochrane, cofounder of Maine Youth Action and a senior at Thornton Academy. "We face barriers to transportation, restricting us from better job and educational opportunities. We face highly unaffordable transportation costs, taking away large portions of our income, and we face the detrimental effects of climate change, caused by our car dependence. It is the responsibility of decision makers today to ensure a better tomorrow, which is what this bill achieves."
"As executive director of the Biddeford and Saco Chamber of Commerce, I see firsthand the many challenges that local residents have in gaining meaningful employment and the ongoing challenge that our local employers face in trying to grow their workforce. A core employment barrier is the ability to commute regularly and cost effectively to places of employment," said James Lbellae. "For Maine to achieve not only our employment goals but also our critical climate change reduction goals, more robust public transportation options, and in particular, options that help employers gainfully employ more people will be crucial."
"We are excited to see the strong, broad support for significant funding increases directed to transit providers and for re-energizing MaineDOT's Public Transit Advisory Council to provide statewide feedback to the department. Residents and businesses in rural and urban communities from Madawaska to Rumford to Kittery are in need of convenient and cost-effective transit options," said Nancy Smith, executive director of GrowSmart Maine.
"By reinvigorating the Advisory Council, ensuring timely meetings occur, issuing yearly reports on findings, and appropriating funding to increase subsidies for bus transit operations and operating costs, LD 1559 breathes new life into our public transit system," said Jess Maurer, executive director of the Maine Council on Aging. "Maintaining convenient access to public transit is good for Maine people. Beyond ensuring that folks can get to the grocery store or to appointments, public transit provides the means necessary to ensure ones connection to community. Accessibility is integral to quality of life."
In addition to its economic, social equity and quality of life benefits, public transit use reduces carbon emissions by 45% when compared to driving alone in a private vehicle. Despite these positive effects, a 2020 scorecard by the American Society of Civil engineers gave Maines public transit a grade of D-, just short of failing.
"LD 1559 solidifies Maine's climate goals and realistically funds the scale of change needed to transition our economy and transportation system," said Ania Wright, legislative and political specialist for Sierra Club Maine. "Currently, the Climate Action Plan focuses on promulgating EVs, and the DOT is mostly focused on fixing existing roads and bridges. We are at a critical juncture. We can keep throwing money at roads and bridges and supporting an economy and communities based on individual cars, or we can plan for what is necessary to achieve a clean and just transportation future."
"Public transportation is an energy-efficient and effective means for Mainers to access work, food, housing and other basic needs. Its expansion and operational improvement is necessary for the state to meet its climate and energy goals, as well as improving connectivity among Maine communities, especially in our rural areas," said Francis Eanes, executive director of the Maine Labor Climate Council. "Anything that improves existing transit systems and capacity - such as accountability, lack of operating funding, stakeholder representation and more moves us in the right direction, and this bill does all of these things."
"The Town of Rumford has chosen to engage in this process alongside GrowSmart Maine, Build Maine and a wide group of stakeholders in order to address the need for major improvements to transit programs in rural communities such as ours," said Rumford Economic Development Director George O'Keefe. "We believe this proposal will improve communication with the Department of Transportation and enhance funding for bus services that will support service expansion and increased frequency of existing service. This proposal is about making more of Maine livable for people of all ages and abilities. We hope these funds will help us in supporting the desire of our community elders to age in place and remain in their hometowns."
The Legislature's Transportation Committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming days, at which time committee members will have the opportunity to debate and offer amendments before voting on a recommendation to the full Legislature.
O'Neil is serving her fourth term in the Maine House. She represents part of Saco and is a member of both the Environment and Natural Resources Committee and the Government Oversight Committee.
Contact:
Brian Lee [ONeil], c. 305-965-2744