The document discusses Ohio's transportation budget and calls for increased funding for public transit and other transportation options. It notes that Ohio currently allocates about 1% of its transportation budget to public transit, ranking 47th nationally, and that overreliance on cars is expensive and relies on imported fossil fuels. It proposes that Ohio create a "Transportation Choice Fund" set aside $75 million annually for alternatives like public transit, biking, walking, and rail to reduce emissions and costs and create more sustainable transportation.

1. Ohioans for Transportation Choice
Alliance for Regional Transit The People’s Department of
– Cincinnati Transportation
www.policymattersohio.org

2. Ohio Transportation Budget
• Transportation budget expected on Feb. 6
• Biennial: FY 2014 & FY 2015
• Roughly $8 billion for two years
• State gas tax and motor-vehicle fees are
prohibited by Ohio Constitution to go towards
anything but roads and highways
• Federal transportation funds are more flexible
• Transportation budget typically moves fast
through the legislature
www.policymattersohio.org

3. Why the State’s Transportation Budget Matters
• Ohio’s transportation system is the direct result of
decisions made on how we allocate state transportation
dollars.
• For decades, Ohio has underinvested in public transit
and other transportation options.
• Nearly all of our transportation dollars go towards road,
highway and bridge projects
• 1% of state transportation funds went to public transit in
previous budget (FY 2012/13)
• Ohio ranks 47th in the nation for its commitment to public
transit, despite being the 7th most populous state.
www.policymattersohio.org

4. As a result, it is difficult to get by without a car
• Cars are expensive to own, operate, and maintain, and
rely heavily on polluting fossil fuels imported from
elsewhere.
• For middle-income families, the costs of driving
represents up to 20 percent of basic family budgets. For
low-income Ohioans, the cost of driving can be
prohibitively expensive. For the elderly and persons with
disabilities, driving may not be an option at all.
• Ohioans spent $45 billion on energy in 2010 (10% of the
gross state product), half of that fuelled cars and trucks.
• 98% of oil is imported from out of state or out of country.
• Roughly ¼ of emissions come from transportation
www.policymattersohio.org

5. Ohioans need more transportation choices
• To reduce our vulnerability to spikes in oil price
• To offer more affordable, accessible, safe, and
environmentally-friendly options
• Make our transportation system more economically
sustainable, and reduce the amount of energy dollars
leaving our state each year to purchase oil
• Reduce emissions from the transportation sector
• Investments to create a network of alternative
transportation choices will also spur economic
development, employ people, reduce urban sprawl and
congestion, and create more livable communities
www.policymattersohio.org

6. Ohioans for Transportation Choice
• Calling on the state to create a “Transportation Choice”
Fund.
• Set aside $75 million each year in flexible federal funding
out of the state’s transportation budget
• Can be used for alternative transportation options such
as public transit, infrastructure for biking, walking, and
electric vehicles, passenger and freight rail, and
streetcars.
• Ramp up Transportation Choices funding to 10% of the
transportation budget by 2020.
www.policymattersohio.org