Mass Appeal Will be Mass Transit Message to Voters
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowSupporters of expanded mass transit in Marion County say they’ll stress the "multitude of benefits" to the region as they advocate for a 0.25 percent income increase tax to help pay for the system. Last week, the City County Council voted 18-6 to put the funding plan on the November ballot, setting up what will likely be months of intense debate on the issue. "This is the opportunity for the voters to get a say and we’re going to make sure from the private sector side and with our community partners that we get our message out,” said Indy Chamber Vice President of Government Relations and Policy Development Mark Fisher.
He added "I don’t think that there’s one message that resonates and that shows how comprehensive the plan is and how it will affect many people in the community."
Clearly, however, the projected economic impact of the ambitious transit plan will be a major focus. "From the business community standpoint, it is about economic opportunities, providing access to educational opportunities and jobs," said Fisher, who stresses it will connect residents with jobs at all pay levels, not just millennials and young professionals.
Transit advocates say global shipping giant FedEx has had trouble filling about 200 jobs at its massive hub near Indianapolis International Airport, in part because potential employees don’t have a way to work. "If people can’t access those jobs, they are not going to get those benefits and, vice versa, if a company can’t access employees, they are not going to locate in our community."
The size and scope of the mass transit plan will also be a key talking point in the coming months, with an emphasis on expanded routes, frequency easier transfers.
IndyGo, the city’s bus agency, says the hours of service under the expanded system would increase by seventy percent, from the current 500,000 hours to 850,000. "It is really important that people understand that the level of service is the biggest driver in getting people to use the service," said IndyGo Director of Marketing and Customer Information Bryan Luellen. "The frequency, hours of service, the reliability of the system, those are all issues that we have focused on in developing the plan."