CDC Platform

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

We support a transportation policy that includes expanded and integrated municipal, regional and statewide public transportation systems and increased fuel efficiency standards.

High-speed rail

We support implementation of a high-speed rail system as proposed in SB1856. The benefits of this include reduced traffic congestion, mitigation of potential airport expansion, improved air quality, and helping meet projected traffic growth.

Inter-city and Intra-city Public Transportation

We support an expansion of inter-city and intra-city public transportation with an emphasis on rail systems.

We support a state-funded pilot project for municipal light rail sufficiently extensive to be cost effective. Such a pilot system would provide convenient accessibility, speed, and cost to be attractive to large numbers of residents. Communities throughout the state could apply for consideration of this project. The selection decision would be made on the basis of which plan most efficiently promotes:

• Usage
• Cost-effectiveness
• Feasibility
• Linkage with other public transportation systems

Municipal light rail systems must be well integrated with regional and statewide rail and other public transportation systems. To foster usage of these systems they must include adequate parking structures. All such transportation systems must emphasize reliability and frequency. They must achieve speed by means of appropriate rights-of-way, employing grade separations where necessary, with consideration given to responsible land use.

Amtrak

We encourage the California Congressional delegation and State Legislature to support the preservation and enhancement of the Amtrak system both in California and nationwide. In addition, we encourage the delegation to take the steps necessary to prohibit privatization of any high ridership segments of Amtrak or the system in its entirety. We further ask our delegation to advocate for adequate, reliable, and long-term funding for Amtrak.

Fuel Economy

To promote non-toxic fuel efficiency in the State of California, we urge the state to adopt increased CAFE (Corporate Aggregate Fuel Efficiency) standards, abandon tax benefits that favor gas-guzzling, heavyweight vehicles, and promote production of clean-burning fuel additives within the state as a safer alternative to MTBE.