Neal: DO Transit starts effort to build support for public transportation improvements

BCR couldn't make it to last week's Durham Orange Friends of Transit kick-off meeting to hear more about the community organization galvanized around supporting the recently-approved local-option transit sales tax to expand bus and rail service in the region.

But BCR reader David Neal did; it was his first exposure to the organization, and he's kindly written a guest column on the event. An earlier version of this story by David ran previously at OrangePolitics.

David Neal is an attorney whose practice consists of state and federal criminal appeals, capital post-conviction, and habeas corpus litigation.  A Winston-Salem native and former Durham resident, he currently lives with his wife and two-year old son in Hillsborough. David is active in the progressive North Carolina non-profit community and currently serves on the board of directors of the Fair Trial Initiative and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and the advisory board of the North Carolina Conservation Network.

A day after the elections for city-wide offices in Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough several of our elected officials joined advocates for transit to publicly launch "DO Transit" - Durham Orange Friends of Transit. 

Gerry Cohen (the director of Bill Drafting at the N.C. General Assembly) and Damien Graham (the Government Relations Manager for the Triangle Transit Authority) were there to help explain House Bill 148.  The newly enacted legislation establishes the Congestion Relief and Intermodal Transportation 21st Century Fund, providing the Triangle with an unprecedented opportunity to build a robust transit system.  

It is rare for the General Assembly to open up new revenue streams for local governments.  This law provides an opportunity we cannot afford to waste. 

In order to start putting money in the fund -- money that will help attract additional state and federal dollars for transit -- voters in Durham and the rest of the triangle will need to approve a sales tax increase in local referenda. 

Bull City Rising readers may remember what happened the last time our neighboring Orange County Commissioners put a new tax on the ballot.  The real estate transfer tax was defeated in a landslide.  In a high turnout primary election in May of 2008, those voting against the transfer tax outnumbered those in favor by an almost 3 to 1 ratio. 

Supporters of a modest transfer tax as a way to provide new revenue for Orange County schools and parks were given little time to organize in favor of the transfer tax.  Those who were opposed, on the other hand, were ready with a well-funded campaign, parachuted in after similar successes in other NC counties.

Of course, Durham also has its own experience with voters overwhelmingly rejecting a new sales tax in the last year.  While the so-called "food tax" is different that the proposed transit tax, the lopsided nature of that vote should be a wake-up call for supporters of new investments in public transportation.

Polling on the viability of an additional half-cent sales tax to support transit reviewed this spring on Bull City Rising proves that supporters of transit will have their work cut out for them.  Only a slim majority would support the tax -- meaning that any organized opposition could very well carry the day.

The DO Transit organization is the first step in building a solid base of support for the referendum.  Other than the far right, anti-government crowd that opposes every kind of public investment, it is not obvious who will fight against these referenda. 

But getting the voters to approve a tax increase, especially with high unemployment and a tough economy, will be tough.   

DO Transit has the potential to bring together business, environmental, low-income, anti-sprawl and smart development interests under one big tent in support of the referenda.  Current and former elected officials from the area are already on board - but they will need our help to ensure passage of the referenda (whenever they are put on the ballot here and in Durham and Wake Counties). 

In attendance and participating in the meeting last week were Orange County Commissioners Alice Gordon and Bernadette Pelissier; Durham County Commissioners Ellen Reckhow and Brenda Howerton; Durham City Council members Mike Woodard and Diane Catotti; Chapel Hill mayor Kevin Foy; and Hillsborough mayor Tom Stevens (my apologies if I missed other elected officials in attendance).

Bo Glenn and the other organizers of DO Transit deserve much praise for pulling this meeting together and getting the Friends of Transit organization off the ground.  Wake County is also getting organized; advocates to our east have already started the Capital Area Friends of Transit. 

My first involvement was to attend the kick-off meeting last week.  About 90 people showed-up to learn more about how to get involved in this fledgling effort.  As great as the turn-out was, more folks and organizations will need to get involved. 

• Sign up at DO Transit as an individual supporter. 
• Help identify other organizational supporters. 
• Become a fan of DO Transit's Facebook page.
• Spread the word. 

An effective transit system is a key ingredient in managing the huge growth that is expected to continue in all of our communities over the next thirty years.  Without it, the Triangle is destined to become the next Atlanta, spread out over ever more congested roadways, choking Durham's potential for smart growth for years to come.

More information: 

http://www.durhamorangefriendsoftransit.org/

Comments

[Rob]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in Durham. It's going to get weird when the Durham Committee lines up with the tea-baggers once more.

Transit is really important if we want to see RTP attract even more corporate HQs. Growth in RTP is definitely a good thing for Durham County. Additionally, Duke employs a large number of folks from out of the county; it would be very beneficial for the environment to get these employees using transit instead of one person/one car.

[Todd P]

Durham's 'food tax' referendum was doomed from the start due to the list of questionable projects slated to be funded, not due the tax itself. Politically connected groups larded up the list with niche projects without broad support among the general population.

The transit tax already starts with a larger base of support than the baseball museum, county stadium, civic center, and Hayti projects ever had. Lots of people recognize the value of mass transit programs.

Transit supporters still have work to do, but the bar is not as high as it was last time. The key will be to have a solid, widely supported plan in place for how the money is to be spent - with little wiggle room for elected boards to redirect the money to politically connected projects. Durham voters have seen that happen too many times with bond money for parks and roads.

[Mark H]

How much money are we talking about needing to be raised per year?

[David Neal]

The General Assembly predicts that the 1/2 cent sales tax revenue from the Triangle as a whole would amount to about $72 million ($16 million from Durham). An additional $10 million could be generated by additional vehicle registration fees ($1.8 million from Durham). Those funds would then attract additional federal dollars to support regional transit. I do not know how much it would actually cost to implement the STAC transit plan - but the local funds are the start.

http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/FiscalNotes/House/PDF/HFN0148v4n1.pdf

[Ed Harrison]

David,

You omitted me.

As the only person in the room who's won election campaigns both County-wide in Durham County (with Durham Committee endorsements) and Town-wide in Chapel Hill -- three of each -- I might just be able to offer some insights into how to run a Durham-Orange campaign. That may or may not be the way to run it, since the referenda would be separate, but the elections will likely be simultaneous, the goal is regional in nature, and the market in certain key media is larger than one county.

Ed Harrison
Chapel Hill Town Council Member 2001-2013
with Durham my county seat for four decades
Transit user since 1957

[David Neal]

Ed,
Sorry I missed you - but glad that you are willing to help lead the charge! Thanks for chiming in and I will be sure to amend the OrangePolitics posting as well.
David