Population Resource Center, Institute Hold Briefing on TEA-21 -- California Capitol Hill Bulletin -- Volume 10, Bulletin 6 -- March 13, 2003

On Friday, March 7, 2003, the Population Resource Center, in association with The Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition and the California Institute for Federal Policy Research held a briefing on transportation issues, particularly the pending reauthorization of the Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21^st Century (TEA-21).

A panel of presenters included Phillip A. Salopek, Chief of the Journey-to-Work and Migration Statistics Branch, Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Richard Stolz, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Community Change, David S. Kim, Deputy Director, Washington Office of the Governor of California, and Nancy L. Firfer, Senior Advisor, Chicago Metropolis 2020.

Drawing on an analysis of the Census data, Mr. Salopek reported that 75 percent of commuters in the U.S. drive to work alone, and that fewer than five out of one hundred commute by public transit. Noting that journey to work reflected in census data statistics can have a profound influence on quality of life for most Americans, he agreed with Ms. Firfer that decisions that planning and transportation officials make will have significant impacts on the economic and social well-being of each state. Mr. Stolz also spoke of the need to strive for transportation equity and improving transportation services to minorities and other underserved populations. Speaking from a state's perspective, David Kim commended the strong state-federal partnership that has been established under TEA-21, but warned that regional problems particularly prevalent in California, like severe congestion, population growth that is outpacing transportation development, and environmental pollution have not been fully resolved under this federal-highway-aid program. Mr. Kim emphasized the need to protect and enhance transportation expenditures, while maintaining funding "firewalls", and making TEA-21 more flexible, especially with respect to CMAQ restrictions currently in place, in order to continue advancement in the area of transportation under TEA-21.

To expand communications between Washington and California, the California Institute provides periodic faxed bulletins regarding current activity on Capitol Hill which directly impacts our state. Bulletins are published weekly during sessions of Congress, and occasionally during other periods. The e-mail edition is made possible in part by in kind donations from Sun Microsystems and IBM Corp.

The California Institute for Federal Policy Research
A Source of Information on California and Federal Policy
419 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, D.C. 20003
voice: 202-546-3700   fax: 202-546-2390  ransdell@calinst.org    http://www.calinst.org