Author: Claire Jaffe

STATEMENT: Transit advocates release 5 principles for smart growth in Montgomery County ahead of 2018 elections

PRESS STATEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2017

CONTACT
Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director
(703) 599-6437
stewart@smartergrowth.net

Pete Tomao, Montgomery County Advocacy Manager
(516) 318-0605
pete@smartergrowth.net

Transit advocates release 5 principles for smart growth in Montgomery County ahead of 2018 elections

Montgomery County, MD — On Wednesday, advocates at the Coalition for Smarter Growth released a smart growth platform highlighting the importance of transit-accessible, inclusive, and walkable communities for Montgomery County’s future. The platform encourages candidates and public officials to commit to a sustainable Montgomery County by investing in transit-oriented development, affordable housing, providing more transportation choices to reduce the amount people have to drive, protecting the Agricultural Reserve and county streams, and expanding public parks. The platform [PDF] includes 5 main principles and a list of specific policy recommendations for each principle.

“With an expected increase of 230,000 residents in Montgomery County by 2040, and the need to be competitive in attracting next generation companies and employees, we must continue the progress the county is making in shifting growth to transit-served areas. Arlington committed to this approach over the last 30 years, and they have contained congestion. Today, Arlington residents enjoy the shortest commute times in the DC region and the highest walk, bike and transit mode shares outside of D.C.” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “Montgomery County has dual advantages, the ability to create strong, walkable urban places, and nearby access to the Agricultural Reserve and one of the nation’s best park systems.”

Schwartz continued, “We can achieve a vision of a sustainable Montgomery by building out the county’s 81-mile bus rapid transit network, fully developing the areas around Metro, increasing housing near transit, promoting affordable housing on public land near transit, and protecting parks and the Agricultural Reserve. These approaches aren’t just good for the environment; they are also better for business.”

86% of new office construction in the region is within one-quarter mile of a Metro station; a recent report found the most successful office clusters are in walkable, transit accessible locations. “The decision of the county’s largest private employer, Marriott, to relocate from an office park to Downtown Bethesda really puts an exclamation point on the benefits of transit investment and smart growth, and we now hear that Amazon is looking for a transit-accessible location for its second headquarters. Simply put, smart growth is better for the environment and better for the economy.”

“Montgomery’s redevelopment of places like White Flint and Silver Spring has paid off in attracting businesses and residents, and contributed to the 10% drop in vehicle miles being driven in the county,” said Pete Tomao, the Montgomery County Advocacy Manager at the Coalition for Smarter Growth

“As a millennial and Silver Spring resident, I can say that our platform provides a policy roadmap that will help attract and retain the next generation workforce. Younger folks want more urban spaces where they can be less reliant on a car. Additionally, access to transportation has emerged as critical to escaping poverty. Transit-oriented development provides access to opportunity for all residents of Montgomery,” said Tomao.

Read the smart growth platform for Montgomery County here.

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth: The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

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RELEASE: CSG calls Governor Hogan’s $500 million pledge to Metro a “jumping-off place”

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:
September 12, 2017

Contact:
Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth
703-599-6437 (c), stewart@smartergrowth.net

CSG calls Governor Hogan’s $500 million pledge to Metro a “jumping-off place”

Washington, DC – The Coalition for Smarter Growth today thanked Maryland Governor Larry Hogan for proposing a much-needed infusion of additional funding for Metro, with the potential to be a catalyst for needed negotiation among DC, Maryland. and Virginia.

“We thank Governor Hogan for proposing $500 million over four years toward addressing Metro’s urgent capital funding needs, and we hope that his proposal will be a catalyst for urgent negotiations between the Governors of Virginia and Maryland and the Mayor of DC,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.

“However, the $500 million in additional funds needed each year from the three jurisdictions must be dedicated and bondable and continue for many years, not just four, and not only to restore the existing system but to ensure we can meet capacity needs including expansion of the Rosslyn tunnel,” said Schwartz.

“We, along with our partners in the ‘Fund it, Fix it Coalition,’ urge the Governors, Mayor, Congressional Delegation, state legislators and local elected officials to work with common purpose to find a funding solution for Metro, appropriately tailored to each jurisdiction, but dedicated and bondable,” said Schwartz. “If there wasn’t already reason enough to fix Metro, the region even has a new incentive – Amazon, which is looking to invest $5 billion and generate thousands of jobs for a second headquarters with good access to transit.”

“We urge a funding solution be adopted by the FY2019 budget season,” concluded Schwartz.

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About the Coalition for Smarter Growth: The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. smartergrowth.net

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is part of the Fund it, Fix it coalition, a partnership of 21 activist and advocacy organizations across the DC metropolitan area supporting dedicated funding for Metro. Read our statement of principles here.

RELEASE: Non-profit advocacy groups urge regional consensus on dedicated funding for WMATA for FY2019 budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 26, 2017

CONTACT
Stewart Schwartz
Executive Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth
703-599-6437 (c), stewart@smartergrowth.net

David Sears
Sierra Club Montgomery Group
301-233-6690(c), davidwsears@aol.com

Nancy Soreng
Metro Funding Action Committee Co-Chair
League of Women Voters of the National Capital Area
301-642-5479, nsoreng@comcast.net

Non-profit advocacy groups urge regional consensus on dedicated funding for #WMATA for FY2019 budget

Washington, DC – Last week, leading business groups came together to issue a call for action on Metro, releasing a set of principles focused on reform at Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Eighteen non-profit groups, whose work spans Maryland, DC, and Virginia, added to the momentum as they called for urgent regional action to fund and fix Metro, pledging to focus their grassroots efforts to win broad public support. In March, they released a statement of principles calling for dedicated funding and a return to frequent, reliable Metro service.

“Many of our groups have worked together for more than two decades, and we’ve come together to dedicate ourselves to help restore Metro to a world-class system,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “We are already working closely with the business community, civic groups, and elected officials to win the funding the system needs.”

“We believe it’s essential to achieve regional consensus on funding Metro in time for crafting the final FY2019 WMATA budget,” said David Sears, Chair for the Montgomery Group of the Sierra Club. “The General Manager and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments have laid out the clear need. The General Manager has demonstrated effective leadership and laid out a sensible set of reforms. Other groups are proposing reforms and the LaHood study is expected this fall. We need consensus reforms that avoid political gridlock, and cannot lose sight of the need to provide the additional capital funding required for rebuilding our 40-year-old system.”

The non-profit groups offer a range of policy, grassroots, social media, and lobbying experience and capacity stretching across Virginia, Maryland, and DC. “Our groups have been active in meeting with business leaders and elected officials, reaching out to our members, and commenting on the series of studies and reports issued by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Federal City Council, WMATA’s General Manager Paul Wiedefeld, and the union — ATU689,” said Schwartz.

“The League of Woman Voters in the National Capital Region highlighted the need for a reliable funding source for Metro some 40 years ago and has included transportation among its key focus areas in recent years; we see the Metro crisis as among the top civic issues our region faces,” said Nancy Soreng, Metro Funding Action Committee Co-Chair. “We are pledging our extensive experience in public education and engagement to host forums and provide voter education materials.”

“Funding and fixing Metro is crucial to sustain an economically successful and equitable DC region. Metro is essential for providing frequent, reliable, and affordable transit, connecting workers to jobs, increasing our economic competitiveness, reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution, and enhancing the quality of life for all residents of our region,” said Schwartz.

“The future of our region depends on our Metro system. We urge the leaders of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia to reach consensus within the next year on funding and structural solutions for this vital system,” concluded Schwartz.

The groups’ statement of principles can be found here.

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. smartergrowth.net

League of Women Voters of the National Capital Area (LWVNCA) is comprised of the District of Columbia League and 10 Leagues in Maryland and Virginia surrounding the nation’s capital. We are a nonpartisan, political, membership organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. The League influences public policy through education and advocacy at all levels of government. lwvnca.org

The Montgomery County Maryland Sierra Club Group focuses on local issues, including improving public transit, maintaining clean water sources, supporting and monitoring the county’s Climate Protection Plan, and endorsing and supporting green candidates. sierraclub.org/maryland/montgomery-county
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RELEASE: Regional groups respond to MWCOG report and call for dedicated funding for Metro

COALITION FOR SMARTER GROWTH. FRIENDS OF WHITE FLINT. FAIRFAX ADVOCATES FOR BETTER BICYCLING. MARYLAND CENTER ON ECONOMIC POLICY. MONTGOMERY COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE. NORTHERN VIRGINIA AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALLIANCE.

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 26, 2017

CONTACT
Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director
703-599-6437 (c)
stewart@smartergrowth.net

Regional groups respond to MWCOG report and call for dedicated funding for Metro

Washington, DC — Today the regional Council of Governments (COG) accepted a report documenting Metro’s operating, maintenance, and capital needs and funding gap over the next decade, the economic value of Metro, suggested metrics and benchmarks, and an assessment of options for a dedicated source of revenues to fill the funding gaps.

“We commend the Council of Governments and their staffs for this important report, and we urge our region’s elected officials to act expeditiously to put in place fixes and dedicated funding for Metro,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “This year is ‘make or break’ for Metro — a funding solution must be in place by the end of the 2018 General Assembly sessions in Virginia and Maryland.”

“The COG report and General Manager Wiedefeld’s plan are the best starting points for getting Metro back on track, said Schwartz. “Major fixes for Metro’s challenges can and should be done without opening the Metro compact or creating a control board.”

“Our groups are concerned that opening the Metro compact risks political gridlock and distracts from reaching a funding agreement within the next year. Similarly, the benefit of a control board isn’t clear, and it’s risky at a time when federal commitment to transit is in doubt,” said Schwartz

“We also feel that the union employees of Metro, many working overnight hours, driving traffic-congested bus routes, and repairing an aging system, need to be partners in arriving at solutions for safety, operations, and costs,” said Schwartz. “It must be all hands on-deck with all sectors contributing.”

“Today, COG made clear that the Metrorail system is our most important regional transportation system,” said Amy Ginsburg, Executive Director of the Friends of White Flint. “Therefore, COG must ensure that their Transportation Planning Board makes full funding of Metro’s ‘state of good repair’ the top priority and baseline for their 2018 update of the region’s Constrained Long Range (Transportation) Plan.”

“Failure is not an option for our Metro, and our groups pledge to campaign for the funding Metro needs,” concluded Schwartz.

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. smartergrowth.net

Friends of White Flint is a nonprofit organization made up of residents, businesses, and property owners who want to create a walkable, vibrant Pike District/White Flint community. whiteflint.org

Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling
fabb-bikes.org

The Maryland Center on Economic Policy advances innovative policy ideas to foster broad prosperity and help our state be the standard-bearer for responsible public policy. We engage in research, analysis, strategic communications, public education, and grassroots alliances promoting robust debate and greater public awareness of the policy choices Maryland residents face together. mdeconomy.org

The Montgomery Countryside Alliance promotes sound economic, land-use and transportation policies and programs that preserve the natural environment, open spaces, and rural lands in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve for the benefit of all Washington Metropolitan area residents. mocoalliance.org

Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA) is a broad-based, regional nonprofit organization working to create successful communities through affordable housing education and advocacy. nvaha.org

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STATEMENT: WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld’s ‘New Business Model’ proposal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2017

CONTACT
Stewart Schwartz, Coalition for Smarter Growth
(703) 599-6437
stewart@smartergrowth.net

Statement on WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld’s ‘New Business Model’ proposal

WASHINGTON DC – WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld released a proposal for a ‘new business model’ for Metro on Wednesday afternoon, to address operating costs and the $15.5 billion needed over the next 10 years for capital investments to make sure the system “remains safe and reliable.” Stewart Schwartz, the Executive Director of the pro-transit regional Coalition for Smarter Growth, responded to General Manager Wiedefeld’s proposal in the following statement:

“We have a lot of respect for the General Manager and his leadership. The General Manager’s plan is the best we’ve seen to date. His statement is bluntly honest about the situation and we generally endorse his proposals — although we will need more information about some of them.

General Manager Wiedefeld is providing critical recommendations for evaluation by the LaHood panel, which represents our best opportunity to develop shared facts and understanding about the challenges and best fixes for the system in time for legislative action on funding next year.

To be clear, General Manager Wiedefeld confirms that even with these major reforms, Metro needs additional revenue for both operating costs and capital needs. Metro is the backbone of our transportation network and regional economy, and as such, merits the funding needed to fully restore the system. For too long, our elected officials haven’t made Metro’s state of good repair needs a priority – year after year approving a regional transportation plan without fully funding Metro capital needs.

We hope that the unions will be full partners in the effort to fix WMATA and address rising costs. They know the system from the ground up and can offer much, but like riders and taxpayers, they too have to contribute to fixing the financial challenges facing the system.

We disagree with those who propose opening the compact which risks political gridlock and diverts the focus from the fixes we can do now and from the agreement we need to reach on dedicated funding. We agree with the General Manager and others who say that many reforms are possible without opening the compact.

We don’t think a control board, such as has been proposed by the Federal City Council, is necessary. Nor would major WMATA Board of Director restructuring be necessary to address the core operating and capital issues. A restructured board would still be responsible to the funding jurisdictions,” Schwartz concluded.

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading nonprofit organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. With 24,000 supporters across the DC region, its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

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