Minority Groups Stress Transportation Funding
WASHINGTON - Following President Obama’s call for a “clean extension” of the surface transportation bill and a reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), The Leadership Conference Education Fund released a new report, “Getting to Work: Transportation Policy and Access to Job Opportunities,” which highlights how inequities in transportation funding undermine civil rights guarantees of equal employment opportunities.
The report stresses that transportation investments should focus on job creation. The report states, “It is critically important to maximize the job creation power of every transportation dollar we spend. This includes: selecting modes of transportation that generate the most jobs; incentivizing projects that locate jobs in underserved communities; and vigorously enforcing requirements for equal opportunity programs and grants targeting disadvantaged businesses.”
Following President Obama’s call for a “clean extension” of the surface transportation bill and a reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), The Leadership Conference Education Fund released a new report, “Getting to Work: Transportation Policy and Access to Job Opportunities,” which highlights how inequities in transportation funding undermine civil rights guarantees of equal employment opportunities.
The report stresses that transportation investments should focus on job creation. The report states, “It is critically important to maximize the job creation power of every transportation dollar we spend. This includes: selecting modes of transportation that generate the most jobs; incentivizing projects that locate jobs in underserved communities; and vigorously enforcing requirements for equal opportunity programs and grants targeting disadvantaged businesses.”
The report also advocates for federal measures that serve the transportation needs of transit dependent workers, enabling low-income people to reach a greater variety of job opportunities—including transportation projects in outlying areas.
“Equitable transportation investments are a prerequisite to leveling the jobs playing field for the millions of minority and low-income families suffering from this dreadful recession,” said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “These communities need a fully-funded surface transportation bill, job security, and a reliable funding revenue stream from the gas tax if they ever hope to rise out of the stubborn cycle of poverty.”
“Getting to Work: Transportation Policy and Access to Job Opportunities” is one of a series of reports that analyzes how transportation investments impact access to healthcare, housing, and employment opportunities for low-income communities, people of color, seniors, and people with disabilities.
