Comments on: Transform CA Opens Sacramento Office http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/12/16/transform-ca-opens-sacramento-office/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dana Gabbard http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/12/16/transform-ca-opens-sacramento-office/comment-page-1/#comment-3447 Dana Gabbard Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:23:55 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1513#comment-3447 I see this as a reaction to the recent demise of Odyssey, a non-profit that worked to involve transit users in advocacy especially at the state level which was funded by the transit industry via its trade group the California Transit Association. Understandably monies for an advocacy group became a victim of the current budget tightening transit providers statewide are having to cope with. Plus Odyssey had been directionless since its founder Kristina Egan left some years ago. Such Odyssey associated advocacy entities as the California Alliance for Transportation Choices and the Riders Federation seem to also be inactive. And the Surface Transportation Policy Project closed its California Offices some time ago, leaving another gap that I guess this is intended to fill. It would be helpful to have some more details about their plans. Do they intend to have a standalone office or share space with some existing organizations? What level of staffing do they plan on having? Is this strictly intended to facilitate direct lobbying or also outreach to stakeholders around the state and coordinate joint advocacy of the Governor, agencies and legislature? Are they going to be Bay Area focused or also working on statewide issues and priorities? I see this as a reaction to the recent demise of Odyssey, a non-profit that worked to involve transit users in advocacy especially at the state level which was funded by the transit industry via its trade group the California Transit Association. Understandably monies for an advocacy group became a victim of the current budget tightening transit providers statewide are having to cope with. Plus Odyssey had been directionless since its founder Kristina Egan left some years ago. Such Odyssey associated advocacy entities as the California Alliance for Transportation Choices and the Riders Federation seem to also be inactive. And the Surface Transportation Policy Project closed its California Offices some time ago, leaving another gap that I guess this is intended to fill.

It would be helpful to have some more details about their plans. Do they intend to have a standalone office or share space with some existing organizations? What level of staffing do they plan on having? Is this strictly intended to facilitate direct lobbying or also outreach to stakeholders around the state and coordinate joint advocacy of the Governor, agencies and legislature? Are they going to be Bay Area focused or also working on statewide issues and priorities?

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