Thank You! to Participants in Our 2003 Voter Registration Campaign
New Jersey Citizen Action held two "Transit Vote" days (on September 10 and October 1, 2003) to register voters at bus and train stations throughout the state. Thank you to everyone who participated! Reliable, affordable mass transit is good for all New Jersey residents, and educated, registered riders will help us get there. For more information about the Transit Vote Project, call John Weber at 732-246-4772 x 14 or email John@njcitizenaction.org
NJCA was instrumental in stopping the worst parts of NJ Transit’s fare increase plan from going through. NJ Transit announced the plan to increase fares right before the December holidays, and allowed only one day of public hearings on January 2, 2002. Some fares were slated to increase as much as 50-87% for riders who could least afford it. The largest increases were targeted to seniors and people with disabilities. NJ Transit's Board of Directors did not expect the hundreds of citizens who turned out to the public hearings and blasted their plans to reduce the discounts for seniors and people with disabilities and to remove the discounted round trip excursion fares. The discount excursion fares save off-peak and reverse commuters up to 40%. NJCA brought a mock-NJ Transit ticket labeled “One Way Ticket to the Poor House” to the NJ Transit Board meeting where the vote was held. In the end, NJ Transit approved a 10% fare increase, but kept the important discounts for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the off-peak fares. To get more involved in our efforts to improve New Jersey's mass transit systems, email transit@njcitizenaction.org. Learn more about our Transit Vote campaign below. NJ Citizen Action, the Citizen Policy & Education Fund, and other grassroots groups are mobilizing mass transit riders around the state to vote and to participate in the political process through Transit Vote. While bus and train ridership is highest in our cities, people across the state are affected by the lack of affordable, reliable, and safe public transportation. Individuals with disabilities and other riders who regularly use mass transit are often left out of the transit decision-making process. Unfortunately, transit riders are not encouraged to register to vote, unlike motorists who benefit from the Motor Voter Law. Together, organized transit riders can encourage much needed legislative and political support for mass transit funding and improvements. Mass transit is important to all New Jersey residents, as it protects the environment and relieves congested roadways. Through extensive outreach, NJCA will register riders, educate them about transit issues, and get them to the polls to vote. This election is critical, because New Jersey will choose a new Governor and the entire State Legislature. For both environmental and social concerns, transit policy must become a priority in the Garden State.
Organization_______________________________________________ We will support Transit Vote in the following ways (check as many as possible): ____ Endorse Transit Vote and its effort to mobilize transit riders
FARE HIKE STOPPED! – NJCA participates in campaign for Fair Transit Rates Transit Vote Campaign – New Jersey Needs Organized Transit Riders! Transit Vote Goals
Yes, We Want To Increase Transit Voter Participation & Make Transit Policy a Priority!
Contact Person_____________________________________________
Street Address _____________________________________________
Town/State+Zip_________________________________ + _________
Phone_____________ Fax_____________ E-mail_________________
____ Volunteer at Transit Vote registration events at local train and bus stops
____ Write and get others to write letters to State Representatives.
____ Write and get others to write letters to the editors of local newspapers.
____ Place Voter Registration forms in my organization’s office.
____ Other________________________________________________
Please return this completed document to us: