Regarding the article, “Public officials, others voice support for state road work”: While roads and bridges are important for our transportation infrastructure, public transportation is essential to the clients served by local nonprofits.
Many of the clients we serve take the bus to get to work, and also need the bus to get to job training, counseling, food and shelter, and many other basic needs.
These clients often come from low-income or no-income backgrounds, some have mental health issues, and others are dealing with like homelessness, domestic violence, or other traumatic events.
Over the past few years, reductions in bus service have had a drastic impact on our community.
The loss of Sunday service is especially hard because people still work on Sundays, and even if they aren’t working, it is often a day to spend with family. Many of these people have no options for getting around on those days.
On behalf of the many thousands of people in need in this county, as well as the staff and volunteers of the agencies that help to provide needed services, we urge lawmakers to include funding for public transit, particularly Community Transit, in their transportation funding package.
Dr. Dennis G. Smith
President and CEO; United Way of Snohomish County
Katrina Ondracek
Vice President of Public Policy and Community Initiatives; United Way of Snohomish County
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