Rad Sallee's column yesterday was of great interest to me.
Developer Ed Wulfe and Citizens for Public Transportation, which he chairs, played a key role in winning voter approval of Metro's long-term transit plan in 2003.Since that tough campaign and razor-thin victory, the organization has been largely dormant, but that's about to change, Wulfe said last week.
The group has reactivated and is soliciting contributions to two political action committees that will support pro-transit candidates. CPT will probably play a role in this fall's elections, he said.
"We want to support those people who carry the flag in Washington, particularly to ensure that Houston is in the forefront in getting our share of transit dollars," Wulfe said. One of the PACs focuses on federal elections and the other on state and local ones.
2008, on the other hand...
Wulfe -- not to be confused with Metro board chairman David Wolff -- said reviving the committee was his idea, not Metro's.Its resurrection could be viewed in part as a shot across the bow of U.S. Rep. John Culberson, who serves on a House subcommittee that decides transit funding and who opposes having any part of the planned University light rail line on Richmond.
Although Metro has praised Culberson for his support of various transit projects, it intends to put rails on Richmond at least as far west as Greenway Plaza, where Wulfe has his offices.
"I'm reluctant to single out John Culberson," Wulfe said. But he added, "We want our representatives in Washington to be fully behind a comprehensive system."
Increasing transit ridership translates into more lane capacity and more parking spaces for drivers.
Eventually people from the suburbs have to get off the freeway, and the inner loop is a destination for many.
Therefore I believe the best appeal to the people in the western and northwestern part of CD07 would be to emphasize that inner loop rail benefits them even if they never use it themselves.
Posted by: jboyd on March 20, 2007 7:48 AM