Agenda Summary
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That February 4, 2023 is proclaimed to be Transit Equity Day.
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Official Text
WHEREAS, The City of Somerville recognizes that excessive car-dependency, inequitable access to a?ordable public transportation, and a lack of multi-modal infrastructure contributes to the climate crisis and exacerbates existing inequities within our community; and
WHEREAS, The impacts of car-dependency and environmental racism disproportionately harm people of color, low-income people, and constitute a civil rights crisis, as seen locally through the increased rates of asthma, heart-disease, and sleep disruption for residents living near I-93; and
WHEREAS, The City of Somerville has set climate goals that rely on a signi?cant decrease in car-based commuting as well as an increased use of environmentally-sustainable modes of transportation to mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis; and
WHEREAS, Public transit jobs in the United States have historically been good jobs that paid living wages, but as a result of the cuts in public funding for transit and the trend of increased privatization and fares there is a growing marginalization of transit workers, who are facing worsening work conditions and erosion of their collective bargaining rights; and
WHEREAS, Paratransit is a necessary component for any public transit system to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities, service equity for all residents, and comprehensive connectivity; and
WHEREAS, The required expansion of public transit to address the climate crisis also provides an unprecedented opportunity to create a large number of good, high-skill, family-supporting transit operation jobs, as well as construction jobs for building new transit facilities; and
WHEREAS, The Somerville City Council passed a resolution supporting a North-South paratransit pilot on October 13th; and
WHEREAS, The City of Somerville has worked to ensure equitable transit for all residents by partnering with ou...
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