Last month, the citizens of Baton Rouge, LA, voted to raise their taxes to preserve and expand their struggling bus system. To pass it, churches, faith-based groups and local organizers teamed up with businesses and institutions. As we’ve seen in similar local measures, they won by explaining exactly what taxpayer money would buy, building a diverse coalition and getting out the vote.

Light-rail system in St. Louis (Photo courtesy of Matthew Black Americans are continuing to open their wallets and vote with their feet in support of increased transportation options, despite a tough economic climate. On Tuesday, a half-cent sales tax to fund the Metro transit system in St. Louis County in Missouri was approved by a [...]

The results of November’s Presidential election may have represented a change for our country, but at least one trend at the ballot box remained unchanged from the past few elections: Taxpayers across the country approved a bevy of ballot measures to expand public transportation, commuter rail, bike and pedestrian access, and other innovative transportation projects.

When people think about Los Angeles County, images of high-speed subway lines extending to the sea and sleek light-rail cars passing through dense transit-oriented development are generally not the first things to pop into their heads. But thanks to the November 4 approval of Ballot Measure R – a half-cent sales tax increase expected to [...]

A measure set to appear on California’s November 4 ballot could pave the way for the construction of a high-speed rail line — and help to link the state’s big cities, foster job growth, and attack climate change and oil dependence. (Eric Bailey — Los Angeles Times)

The Los Angeles Times editorial board pushes hard for a measure on the state’s ballot this November to authorize $9.95 billion in bonds for a high-speed bullet train linking Northern and Southern California.

Voters in Los Angeles County could decide in November to increase their sales tax by half a cent to pay for transit improvements — that is, if their Board of Supervisors gives them a chance to decide.