Issue Position: Reliable Public Transit

Issue Position

Public transportation must be reliable and accessible to get people to where they live, work, and play. I take some kind of public transit almost every day: bus, light rail, rideshares, scooters, and also walk to get around our district and beyond.

​The system works best from 9-5 on weekdays, but on evenings and weekends, it's difficult to find a safe and reliable way back home or to work. Funding for public transit is currently tied to motor vehicle sales taxes.

​I want to find different ways to source funding for transit so that we're not as dependent on cars. I also want to create more accessible and frequent routes and explore expanding programs for reduced or no-cost fares.

As we move to an electric fleet of buses and light rail, I will advocate to prioritize lines that run through neighborhoods with major transportation hubs, main thoroughfares, and communities that have the highest rates of respiratory illnesses and experience other effects of air pollution. I will promote an equitable public transportation plan to show that Minnesota is serious about remedying the harms of the past. I will also promote policies that will allow us to creatively redesign spaces, especially in the cities, away from car dominance. If people find it safer and faster to walk, bike, or take public transport, it will be much easier to reduce our dependence on cars.

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