Northeast Regional Planning Organization

Resolution No. 2006-01

A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION 3037/5316 JOB ACCESS and REVERSE COMMUTE (JARC)

WHEREAS, the Northeast Regional Planning Organization is made up of local governments within the seven counties of Colfax, Guadalupe, Harding, Mora, Quay, San Miguel and Union; and

WHEREAS, the Northeast Regional Planning Organization was established by the New Mexico Transportation Commission in order to develop an on-going planning process for statewide project programming, serving as a forum that elicits informed recommendations for multimodal transportation and enhancement projects; and

WHEREAS, public transportation services in rural New Mexico are scarce creating a need for alternative transportation programs; and

WHEREAS, two thirds of the counties in Northeast New Mexico are equal to or exceed the state unemployment rates and mean travel time to work; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Transit Administration 3037/5316 Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) funding contributes to local and regional efforts that support employment and job access initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Transit Administration 3037/5316 Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) funding is an integral program for promoting employment within rural New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, the funding of the Federal Transit Administration 3037/5316 Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) funding is imperative to the economic survival of rural New Mexico communities; and

WHEREAS, the federal funding match for the Federal Transit Administration 3037/5316 Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) has experienced a significant decrease in fiscal year 2005/2006, and SAFETEA-LU reduced the federal appropriation due to the formulization of the federal share of the JARC grant;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL PLANNING ORGANIZATION THAT:

This board fully supports the continuance of funding for the Federal Transit Administration 3037/5316 Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) funding; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:

Economic Development, job access and poverty within rural communities are directly connected to access to transportation. Therefore the Northeast Regional Planning Organization requests that the New Mexico Department of Transportation provide funding to continue programs such as the Federal Transit Administration 3037/5316 Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) program.

PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Northeast Regional Planning Organization on January 12, 2006

Northeast Regional Planning Organization

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Doug Powers, NERPO Chair

ATTEST:

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