OLCV: YES FOR CHERRIOTS! -- VOTE YES ON 24-247 IN NOVEMBER

The Salem-Keizer Transit District has placed a local option levy on the November ballot to sustain existing service and add buses to overcrowded routes. Without passage of the levy, the Cherriots bus system will cut all Saturday service (including the CherriotLift paratransit service for people with qualified disabilities) and reduce some week-day service.

Passage of this levy is crucial for Salem-Keizer to develop into the urban environment we need to accommodate our recent growth. Road congestion, the price of fuel, and parking conflicts downtown and in our neighborhoods are all evidence of the need for a public transit system to serve ALL Salem residents as efficiently as possible. Cutting service at this time would be a step backward and drastically reduce our quality of life.

The levy is modest, requesting $30.7 million for 5 years. This equates to 49 cents per $1,000 in assessed property values. A home with an average assessed value of $132,000 would cost a household $6.50 per month.

People need transit.

For the past five years Cherriots has provided over 5 million rides a year and the CherryLift paratransit service has grown to over 127,000 rides per year. Numbers in 2008 are increasing. Many of our citizens depend on Cherriots for their only form of transportation. Studies have shown one of the biggest barriers to moving people out of poverty is lack of reliable transportation. New riders, in response to the fuel crises, are trying Cherriots for the first time. Let’s not discourage them.

The economy needs transit:

• First, companies who might locate in Salem-Keizer want a transit system that will provide a way to get their employees to work and/or their customers to their door.
• Second, by taking cars off the road, businesses have less congested roads to move their goods or deliver their services.
• Third, Cherriots purchases $3 to $4 million in goods and services each year from local businesses. Finally, the district contributes permanent family wage jobs to the local economy.

The planet needs transit.

The fastest way to improve air quality and fight global warming is to invest in public transit.

By taking existing public transportation to work rather than driving, the average person saves 4,800 pounds of CO2 per year. Cherriots entire fleet is fueled by either compressed natural gas or 20% biodiesel. The new buses are equipped with clean diesel engines that are more efficient than older versions.

Now is the time to pass this levy. But we need your help.

The awareness of our dwindling fuel supply and cost to the planet has never been higher. We believe we can pass this measure with an extensive public awareness campaign. To accomplish our goals we will need volunteers and money to reach just under 100,000 in the district. 

If you’d like to learn more about the campaign and how you can help contact: info@yesforcherriots.com or 503.581.8384.

For more information, see www.yesforcherriots.com.

To send a contribution, make out your check to Yes for Cherriots, indicate your telephone number, occupation and employer and mail it to: Yes for Cherriots
PO BOX 2774 Salem, OR 97308-2774