Elana Schor
Recent Posts
Report: Obama’s 2011 Budget Leaves Cities in a Fiscal Hole of $16B-Plus
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(Chart: National League of Cities) The White House’s proposed budget for 2011 would direct $2.8 billion to its biggest-ticket urban aid programs, even as American city governments face estimated budget shortfalls of at least $19 billion next year, according to a report released today by the nonpartisan Drum Major Institute (DMI). The report compares urban […]
What Voinovich Wants From the White House: A New Politics for Transport
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Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), a longtime supporter of quick action on a new federal transportation bill, helped give Democrats a major victory this week when he voted for the Senate’s jobs measure after securing a promise for transportation votes in the upper chamber this year. Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) (Photo: CNN) But viewing Voinovich’s move […]
Today’s Headlines
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A nifty new video on Portland’s diverse transportation — see above for more (Fast Company via Grist) A full-length look at the Obama administration’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities (Grist) New study ranks the most congested cities, and intersections, in the nation (USAT) LaHood’s office promises to help Connecticut apply for future rounds of high-speed rail […]
Fact-Checking the Toyota Hearing: Lower Speeds Increase Safety
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Megan McArdle at the Atlantic, writing on today’s Toyota hearing in the House oversight committee, hears Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood claim that "lowering the speed limit to 30 mph would not save any lives, which is why we have minimum speeds on highways." LaHood, at left, with the president at right. (Photo: whitehouse via Flickr) […]
Conrad Sees ‘Tough Choices’ Ahead on Transport, Naming VMT Tax & Tolls
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Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) today shed rare light on the extent of the nation’s transportation funding crisis, warning his fellow policymakers that "we are going to have to make tough choices" to raise enough money for continued federal investments in the built environment. (Chart: Senate Budget Committee) As he opened a hearing […]
Little-Known Provision in Senate Jobs Bill Could Spark House Resistance
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The Senate passed its jobs bill today by a 70-28 vote, bringing Congress one step closer to a $20 billion transfer that would keep the nation’s highway trust fund solvent until 2011 and extend the 2005 federal transportation law. House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) (Photo: Capitol Chatter) The bill’s future in the House […]
Today’s Headlines
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House majority leader says his chamber isn’t ready to sign off on the Senate jobs bill as is (Politico) Meanwhile, manufacturers’ lobby is "disappointed with" the Senate plan, saying a 10-month rescue of the highway trust fund is only viable "if this leads to a permanent six-year bill" (NAM Press) Stimulus analysts at Onvia, the […]
Obama Adviser: If EPA is Blocked on Emissions, Forget About CAFE Deal
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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Lisa Jackson extended an olive branch this week to lawmakers who are pushing to block her from regulating carbon emissions in the absence of a congressional climate bill, but Jackson’s promise to delay action until next year appears to have made no headway with Republicans and coal-state Democrats. Carol Browner, […]
House Lawmakers Hail Transportation Stimulus — But Add Three Caveats
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At a House transportation committee hearing today that marked the one-year anniversary of the Obama administration’s economic recovery efforts, lawmakers offered praise for the stimulus law’s impact on local infrastructure investments even as they hit upon three key areas of concern with its implementation. The Port of Los Angeles was shut out of the stimulus’ […]
Voinovich Secures Dem Promise to Hold a Senate Vote on Transpo in 2010
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Compelling infrastructure news out of the Senate last night: The long-delayed successor to the 2005 federal transportation law could come to a vote sooner than the spring 2011 timetable sought by the Obama administration, thanks to a promise secured by Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) in exchange for his vote in favor of the Democratic jobs […]
Today’s Headlines
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Ahead of tomorrow’s Toyota hearing in the House, lawmakers take aim at the company’s — and the government’s — safety record (Free Press) LaHood says the Ohio River Bridges Project, which features tolling as a possible revenue raiser, could be in line for second round of TIGER aid or other federal funding (WAVE-TV, Courier-Journal) Do […]
Senators Warn of Possible ‘Federal Intervention’ in D.C. Transit System
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Four senior members of the Senate Banking Committee today warned Washington D.C.’s transit agency that "direct federal intervention" in the local Metrorail system could be the next step if officials did not move to remedy an "unacceptable" safety record that includes a series of recent crashes and near-misses, capped by a derailment 10 days ago. […]