Evergrey
02-18-2007, 08:25 PM
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07049/762785-147.stm
Stats guru shows why state transit support is difficult
Sunday, February 18, 2007
By Joe Grata, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
While the troubled Port Authority's long-term hopes of R 'n R (relief and reform) rest on the shoulders of state lawmakers, a University of Pittsburgh numbers guru has shown why it is so difficult to get legislation passed that benefits public transit.
Christopher Briem, of Bloomfield, a full-time researcher at the University Center for Social and Urban Research, did unique work off the clock. He took the 203 House legislative districts and figured out which ones have the most transit users.
He concedes his exercise was largely "documenting the obvious" because transit is big in urban areas. The Port Authority and Philadelphia-based Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority account for almost 90 percent of 400 million transit rides a year.
Five House members from Allegheny County made the "top 20" list of legislators ranked by the prevalence of constituents who commute by public transit. After them and 15 from Philly, "the numbers drop off pretty fast," Mr. Briem said. "It's more stark than one might presume."
He found that less than 1 percent of the people use any form of transit in 112 legislative districts. "I am NOT missing a zero in there," he emphasized.
That's more than enough votes to defeat any transit-funding bill in the House, whether it be the 6.17 percent gross oil company profits tax proposed by Gov. Ed Rendell, or the 0.9 increase in the state's realty transfer tax proposed by his special Transportation Funding and Reform Commission.
In addition, fewer than 5 percent use public transit in 157 legislative districts, and less than 0.1 percent use public transit in the "bottom 20" legislative districts, where small shared-ride programs operate.
"Here is my unofficial calculation of the official 'transit caucus' in Harrisburg," he e-mailed, showing the House member and percentage of transit users in each legislative district.
State's "transit caucus" with percent of transit riders:
From Philadelphia County: Thomas Blackwell, 33.5 percent; Harold James, 33.1; Jewell Williams, 31.5; Frank Oliver, 31.4; Ronald Waters, 27.7; Curtis Thomas, 26.9; John Myers, 26.6; James Roebuck Jr., 24.5; Angel Cruz, 23.7; Tony Payton, 22.9; Louise Bishop, 22.6; Rosita Youngblood, 19.5; William Keller, 17.9; Dwight Evans, 16.8; Robert Donatucci, 15.4.
From Allegheny County: Joe Preston Jr., 28.9 percent; Jake Wheatley, 26.6; Dan Frankel, 18.3; Harry Readshaw, 15.3; Lisa Bennington, 15.2.
Stats guru shows why state transit support is difficult
Sunday, February 18, 2007
By Joe Grata, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
While the troubled Port Authority's long-term hopes of R 'n R (relief and reform) rest on the shoulders of state lawmakers, a University of Pittsburgh numbers guru has shown why it is so difficult to get legislation passed that benefits public transit.
Christopher Briem, of Bloomfield, a full-time researcher at the University Center for Social and Urban Research, did unique work off the clock. He took the 203 House legislative districts and figured out which ones have the most transit users.
He concedes his exercise was largely "documenting the obvious" because transit is big in urban areas. The Port Authority and Philadelphia-based Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority account for almost 90 percent of 400 million transit rides a year.
Five House members from Allegheny County made the "top 20" list of legislators ranked by the prevalence of constituents who commute by public transit. After them and 15 from Philly, "the numbers drop off pretty fast," Mr. Briem said. "It's more stark than one might presume."
He found that less than 1 percent of the people use any form of transit in 112 legislative districts. "I am NOT missing a zero in there," he emphasized.
That's more than enough votes to defeat any transit-funding bill in the House, whether it be the 6.17 percent gross oil company profits tax proposed by Gov. Ed Rendell, or the 0.9 increase in the state's realty transfer tax proposed by his special Transportation Funding and Reform Commission.
In addition, fewer than 5 percent use public transit in 157 legislative districts, and less than 0.1 percent use public transit in the "bottom 20" legislative districts, where small shared-ride programs operate.
"Here is my unofficial calculation of the official 'transit caucus' in Harrisburg," he e-mailed, showing the House member and percentage of transit users in each legislative district.
State's "transit caucus" with percent of transit riders:
From Philadelphia County: Thomas Blackwell, 33.5 percent; Harold James, 33.1; Jewell Williams, 31.5; Frank Oliver, 31.4; Ronald Waters, 27.7; Curtis Thomas, 26.9; John Myers, 26.6; James Roebuck Jr., 24.5; Angel Cruz, 23.7; Tony Payton, 22.9; Louise Bishop, 22.6; Rosita Youngblood, 19.5; William Keller, 17.9; Dwight Evans, 16.8; Robert Donatucci, 15.4.
From Allegheny County: Joe Preston Jr., 28.9 percent; Jake Wheatley, 26.6; Dan Frankel, 18.3; Harry Readshaw, 15.3; Lisa Bennington, 15.2.
