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Success for Central Corridor! Hurrah! The news just broke at the Capitol: House and Senate leadership and the Governor have agreed upon a budget resolution and a new bonding bill! Good news for supporters of a region-wide transit system: $70 million in state funding for the Central Corridor light rail transit line in the bonding bill, which keeps us on track for receiving nearly $500 million in federal funding and opening the line in 2014. We wanted you to be the first to know that your hard work paid off! Your phone calls, emails, letters to the editor, letters to legislators, and face to face conversations helped keep Central Corridor alive. These funds are the capstone on a spectacular session for transit and transportation in Minnesota. To summarize our success: 1) victory early in the session with a bill providing new dedicated revenues for transportation around the state; 2) $100 million in new revenue for new light rail, commuter rail, and express bus lines (from a 1/4 cent sales tax in five metro area counties); and 3) $70 million in bonding funds for Central Corridor, which will keep the project on track. Thank you for your energy, your persistence, your engagement, and your hope that through partnership and perseverance Minnesota would take these significant steps. More information will be forthcoming, particularly about Central Corridor, as decisions are made over the summer by local governing bodies. For now, please pat yourself on the back and pass the word. We did it! We'd love to hear what this victory means to you. Send your thoughts to Michelle Dibblee, Organizer at MichelleD@tlcminnesota.org or call her at 651-767-0298. Also, check out this website in the coming week for more details
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