http://www.transformca.org/take-action/tell-mtc-save-jobs-and-transit-servic... Email MTC Now to Use Federal Money to Save Jobs and Transit Service! Tell the Metropolitian Transportation Commission to use stimulus money from the Oakland Airport Connector to save jobs and transit service! A letter was just released by the Federal Transit Administration stating that $70 million in federal stimulus funds are being withheld from the Oakland Airport Connector project due to BART's failure to do an equity analysis on how the project will impact local residents. *Now these precious dollars could be lost altogether to the Bay Area.* *But the Bay Area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission and BART can choose to put this $70 million towards things the 9-county Bay Area really needs:* 1. *JOBS. *The $70 million can save hundreds of local jobs at public transit agencies that are on the chopping block due to funding shortfalls. 2. *Better public transportation service. *Millions in funding could quickly be directed to transit operations across the Bay Area, stopping brutal service cuts and fare hikes. 3. The chance* to study a faster way to get to the Oakland Airport and save $400 million.* *SEND A PERSONALIZED EMAIL TO THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION NOW.* <http://act.transformca.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1628> *Let's put $70 million in stimulus funds where it's needed: our regional transit agencies, not the Oakland Airport Connector boondoggle. Or the Bay Area risks losing this money entirely! * *COME TO THE RALLY FOR JOBS AND JUSTICE ON JANUARY 27. * <http://www.transformca.org/oac/your-action-needed-now> *Why is the Oakland Airport Connector such a boondoggle?* This $492,000,000 project a 3-mile, half-billion dollar transit fiasco. Service will average just 23.4 mph between the Coliseum BART Station and the Oakland Airport. Riders will be required to drag their luggage up and down more escalators and walk fartherthan they do now. Once at the Airport, they will get dropped into the existing parking lot and have to walk across multiple lanes of traffic. The $492 million price tag will require loans and a $6 one-way fare on top of the cost of a BART ride, making the trip to OAK more expensive than to SFO.