We are less than a week away from the second Resident’s Budget Hearing for the FY2021 budget. The hearing will take place on Thursday, March 12th at 6 PM in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building 3430 Court House Drive Ellicott City, MD 21043. The Streets for All Coalition will continue to advocate for historic investments in biking and pedestrian funding.
There are three ways for you to support this effort:
- Join us and attend the hearing on March 12th. We will meet outside of the hearing room at 5:45 PM to enter and be seated together.
- Provide written testimony. Below are talking points to write your testimony leaving room to elevate your experience in getting around Howard County. If you need support writing testimony, we would be delighted to prepare a template and after your review submit on your behalf. If you prefer to deliver testimony in person, the sign up link is live. Please sign up here: Testimony Sign Up Link.
- Share the Streets for All website with your networks. Anyone can take an online action that will send a message to the County Executive to support biking and walking funding.
To assist you in writing testimony here are a few talking points for you to include in your testimony. Again, if you need assistance writing testimony, please let us know. We are here to help.
- The lack of active transportation infrastructure – like sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, paths and bus stops – disproportionately affects communities of color, low-income families, older adults and people with disabilities.
- Those of our neighbors who do not own a vehicle rely on sidewalks to access public transportation and bike lanes to get to work on time, access healthy food, medical appointments and community services.
- We strongly support the County’s Office of Transportation’s funding proposal of $2.75M to build the active transportation infrastructure needed to be more physically active. Funding for new pedestrian projects in communities like Guilford, Elkridge, Jessup and Savage will provide tangible changes that people can see and use, creating healthier communities where all people can thrive, no matter who they are or where they live.
Please spread the word! This is our opportunity to show the County Executive that this is a serious matter! We want to see historic funding levels being set again for biking and walking. We have the power to do this by raising our voices and having presence at this hearing.
Join us next Thursday!
Thank you,
Jennifer Arice White, MSPH
Senior Community Engagement Officer, Horizon Foundation
Direct: 443-766-1223 | Mobile: 248-345-3030
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