> GOVERNOR PAWLENTY ANNOUNCES PLAN TO PROVIDE SERVICES > TO TRANSIT DEPENDANT MINNESOTANS DURING STRIKE -- March 12, 2004 > > Directs Metropolitan Council to fund T-GAP program for needy > with some strike savings > > Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced that > he has directed the Metropolitan Council to implement an > emergency program to provide transportation for those hardest > hit by the Metro Transit strike, now in its ninth day. > > "Those who depend most on public transportation need some relief," > Governor Pawlenty said. "Both my office and the Met Council have > heard from individual riders about how the strike has impacted > the quality of their lives. We are going to expand the lifeline > services already offered by social service agencies to meet the > needs of our most disadvantaged people during this strike." > > "We know that about a third of our bus riders do not own a car > or cannot operate one," said Metropolitan Council Chair Peter Bell. > "Our goal is to help private non-profits and public agencies provide > essential services to transit dependents." > > The Metropolitan Council will move quickly to implement a Transit > Grant Assistance Program (T-GAP), under which the Council will > award grants to non-profit and governmental social service agencies > to provide transportation services for their clients. To qualify as > a reimbursable trip, users must be transit dependent, must normally > make the trip using Metro Transit, and must be an essential > "life-sustaining purpose," such as medical services, work, > groceries or other purposes. > > The Met Council will start the program with up to a $100,000 per > week financial commitment and will adjust funding levels as demand > and need are assessed further. > > Agencies will have discretion under T-GAP to determine and > arrange the best means of transportation for the clients, > including vans, taxis or other means. Bell said the Council > will encourage creative thinking from these agencies about > how they can expand their operations using seed money from the Council. > > The Metropolitan Council is a 17-member body appointed > by the Governor. Its responsibilities include the operation > of Metro Transit,which provides 90 percent of the regular route > bus service in the region. > ___________________ > > Madeline Douglass > Kingfield (Mpls) REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
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