Write state reps about stupid PA constitution

Here's a post from a budding activist friend. A great of example of getting fired up and doing something about it! --Marc

You have probably heard about the crisis facing SEPTA as a result of the state legislature's failure to appropriate funds to the transit agency beforethe end of its session. While following the news coverage of Governor Rendell's attempt to use federal highway funding to reallocate state funds for transit byexecutive action, I learned that the Pennsylvania Constitution has a provisionwhich restricts the use of revenue from gasoline taxes to the construction andrepair of roads. That money can't be used for transit.

This seems absurd to me (constitutional provision!?!), and I wrote to my state legislators about it. If you agree, maybe you'll do the same.>> Here's a link to the PA Constitution:http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Constitution.html>> (it's article VIII, Section 11)>> Here's a link to find out who your state reps are:http://www.legis.state.pa.us/index.cfm>> (you can search by zip code in the upper-right-hand corner of the window)>> Here's a copy of the letter I wrote (too long, I know, but I always getverbose when I'm mad):> ---------------------

--------> Dear Representative Josephs:>> I am writing to ask you to consider sponsoring a bill to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution, specifically, Article VIII, Section 11, whichrestricts the use of gasoline tax revenues to the construction and repair ofroads.>> I live in Center City Philadelphia. I am the kind of person the Commonwealthpurports to want to retain: a well-educated, entrepreneurially-minded taxpayer.I live in the city in part because I dislike the car-oriented development thatdominates this country, and I prefer to walk and take public transportation. Infact, I believe that public transit is essential to the environmental andsocial well-being of the country. So, as you can imagine, I was bitterly disappointed that the state legislature failed to act to save SEPTA from imminent crisis. It was in reading about the Governor's attempt toreappropriate funds to resolve the issue that I learned about theconstitutional restriction on the use of gas taxes.>> It is universally understood that public transit can never be self-supportingand that public subsidies are required. The source of the funding should befrom those who rely on cars. Why? Because the domination of the automobile hasbeen and continues to be massively subsidized by the government, but thesprawling development which depends on cheap automobile operation threatens ournatural resources, our physical and mental health, and, according to theBrookings Institution's Report, "The Costs of Sprawl in Pennsylvania", ourstate's very economic survival.>> By raising gasoline taxes and using the revenue to subsidize public transit, automobile travel, and encourage transit-oriented development. I understandfrom your web site that you are also a committed user of public transit. I urgeyou to act to amend this constitutional provision.>>

Thank you,>>

Sincerely,