50-State Study Released at National Transit Conf.; States Failing to Connect Economic Development with Job Access to Public Transit 9/11/2003
From: Greg LeRoy of Good Jobs First, 202-626-3780, ext. 27 or 202-494-0888 (cell) News Advisory: -- 50-State Study Released at National Transit Conference -- States Are 'Missing the Bus' by Failing to Connect Economic Development with Job Access to Public Transportation Today Good Jobs First is releasing a 50-state study, which finds that not one single state coordinates its economic development spending with public transportation. It also finds that 46 states fail to even collect data on subsidized corporate relocations and therefore cannot determine if their economic development incentives are undermining job access for low-wage workers. The study -- "Missing the Bus: How States Fail to Connect Economic Development with Public Transit," will be released at a press conference at noon on Thursday September 11th in Atlanta, in association with Rail-Volution, an important annual gathering of transit advocates. Reporters wishing to participate in the press conference releasing the study, it will take place: WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 11, at 12 noon EDT (11 a.m. CT, 10 a.m. MT, 9 a.m. PT) WHERE: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Roswell Room, 265 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Ga. CALL-IN: 800-391-2548 and enter passcode 96559598 # (be sure to enter "pound" sign) "Our findings are deeply troubling," said Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First. "They suggest that states are not really serious about making sure their economic development programs benefit all people, including low-wage workers who cannot afford a car. They also suggest a wasteful lack of coordination between state development and transportation agencies." Anne Canby, president of the Surface Transportation Policy Project, the nation's leading transit advocacy network said, "Unfortunately, transportation planning is not effectively connected to economic development. For low-income families who are supposed to be the main beneficiaries of economic development programs, this means great hardships. If jobs can only be accessed by automobile, low-income families are forced to spend an enormous amount of their household budgets on transportation. It is time for states to 'get on the bus.'" The study recommends Location Efficient Incentives, or using development subsidies as a "carrot" to get companies to locate jobs where they are accessible by public transit. The Full Report can be viewed at http://www.goodjobsfirst.org Good Jobs First is a non-profit, non-partisan research center promoting best practices in economic development; it is based in Washington, DC. |