FLORIDA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS

Need help deciding who to support in the upcoming gubernatorial race November 2? Due to incomplete results, we were unable to post prior to the primaries, and we still have not heard from Rick Scott’s campaign, but below are the results from Bud Chiles (who may be dropping out of the race) and Alex Sink.  Though Sink did not complete the questionnaire, her campaign provided her transportation plan.

Bud Chiles

1.     How would you describe the benefits of making Florida a better place to bike and walk? Creating a safe environment for exercise and recreation, making our cities and towns safer for children to play in, increasing access to those with disabilities… there are so many reasons to make this happen.
2.    In April 2010, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood released a policy directive (attached) that states, “Every transportation agency, including DOT, has the responsibility to improve conditions and opportunities for walking and bicycling and to integrate walking and bicycling into their transportation systems”.
Question: How would your administration embrace this policy here in Florida? I believe Florida needs to do the same. We’ve got the weather – we need to create the infrastructure to encourage walking and bicycling in Florida. And state government should lead the way in that.
3.    All across the U.S., in communities large and small, there is a strong and growing movement to make our communities more livable and sustainable.  This movement embraces complete streets that give people more transportation choices; mixed use developments that co-locate jobs, homes and businesses in closer proximity; and transit-oriented development that promotes economic vitality.  Though Federal resources are being dedicated to this effort, Florida is not competitive in attracting grants due to lags in transportation innovation and leadership.
Question: What do you think would be required for Florida to shift to this new paradigm? How, as Governor, would you move the state in this direction? One big opportunity is the regional rail system, which is using federal funding to address Florida’s transportation issues. We need to expand this system, but we also need better local transportation systems. As Governor, I intend to put the full weight of state government behind investing in renewable resources, sustainability and conservation measures that will bring green jobs to Florida and make our state a greener place to live and work.
4.    For more than two decades, Florida has had the dubious distinction of being the state with the highest pedestrian and bicyclist fatality rates in the nation.  One in ten pedestrian fatalities occurs in Florida.  One in six bicyclist fatalities occurs here.
Question: As Governor, what priority will you give to pedestrian and cyclist safety?  Will you commit to reducing the fatality rates by 40% by the end of your first term?  Absolutely.  As a father with a visually impaired child who must rely on pedestrian ways and public transportation, I fully understand how far Florida has to go in making its streets safe for walkers and bicyclers. I will commit to ensure that our transportation systems are safe for all methods of transport.
5.    Despite the fact that Florida is the worst state in the nation for bike/ped safety, funding to address the danger has not matched the danger.  For example, safety funding received by FL from the federal government has been reprogrammed to fund road projects.
Question: Would you support targeting federal highway safety funds to the users that are most at risk on a proportional basis (e.g., currently bike/ped fatalities make up 22% of all traffic fatalities in FL so they would receive 22% of the federal highway safety funds)?  How would you hold state agency leaders and managers accountable for achieving results? I do believe more funding needs to be allocated for these safety issues, and will make sure state agencies with expertise in these areas are responsible for real benchmarks.
6.    What is your vision of how Florida’s economic base should change and what role does biking, walking, transit have in that vision?  How would you support the revitalization of Florida communities?  Florida needs to move towards a sustainable economy – one that preserves the natural environment that makes our state such an attractive place to live, work and play.
7.     Other states have shown the economic benefits of bicycle tourism.
Question: What programs and activities would your administration undertake to better promote bicycling as an integral part of Florida’s tourism sector?  When my children were young, we would take trips to Key West and rent bicycles for the week. It was one of our favorite family vacations. Bicycling has minimal effect on our environment and provides great opportunities for recreation. I believe we can encourage more bicycle tourism through focused messaging on Florida’s tourism websites and other venues.
8.    In 2008, Florida enacted the HB 697 which requires state and local agencies to develop plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Transportation emissions contribute 46%  of the greenhouse gas emissions in Florida (compared to 33% nationally); with 66% of these emissions in Florida coming from cars.
Question: What policy initiatives do you support to reduce energy use and GHG emissions in Florida’s transportation?  What roles do bicycling and walking have in meeting these goals? I think we should encourage businesses to offer incentives to workers who take public transportation or bicycle to work. And I think that state government should lead in this area by doing the same for state employees.
9.    Childhood obesity is a clear and present danger to the future health and economic well-being of Florida.  Programs like Safe Routes to Schools encourage children to incorporate more physical activity into their daily habits.
Question: How would you support this program?  What would you do to ensure that the built environment promotes more physical activity to address the growing problem of obesity? This is obviously a huge problem for Florida’s children. I want to encourage after-school activities that will get kids outside. This is the first I’ve heard of the Safe Routes to Schools program, but I will definitely find out more about this effort to encourage children to get active.
10. As the 2009 AARP report, “Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America”, stated, over the coming decades the number of older Americans is expected to increase from 12% of the total population in 2005, and by 2025, these numbers are projected to double, with one in five Americans being 65 or older.  Half of all no-drivers age 65 and over stay home on a given day because they lack transportation, which lessens their independence and quality of life.
Question: As Governor, what would you do to plan for an aging Florida, as it relates to transportation?  Our communities need more reliable public transportation. As Governor, I will work to build partnerships in communities to address the needs of aging Floridians so that there are adequate transportation means for the future.
11. Last year, the Florida Department of Transportation initiated the State’s 2060 Transportation Plan but excluded many aspects of the transportation community, including the bike/ped community, from the steering committee charged with managing the plan development and making recommendations to the Governor and Legislature.
Question: As Governor, what steps will you take to ensure that representatives from all modes of transportation and all kinds of users will be included in transportation planning processes?  A plan for Florida’s transportation future will only be successful if there is a true coalition of interest groups moving forward.  I will fight for access to be given to a broad range of voices so we can be sure that the needs of all Floridians are being served.

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Alex Sink

I wanted to let you know that our campaign policy is that we do not complete written questionnaires. This is true regardless of the organization. I realize that your organization does not do endorsements and is primarily seeking to educate your members and voters – a good thing! Visit our website for Alex’s transportation and education policies, as well as those on ethics, economic development, government accountability, and energy. Collectively, I think these will give your members a well-rounded perspective as to Alex’s position on key issues of interest.

Donna O’Neal
Alex Sink Campaign

Click on the “click here to read the full plan” link for bike/ped information. Below are excerpts brought to our attention by Deborah Carenno, Hillsborough County Bike/Ped Coordinator.

As Governor, Alex Sink will:

Incorporate more trails, bicycle paths, bike lanes and pedestrian facilities into transportation planning. Bicycling or walking to work and as leisure activities not only reduce congestion but provide numerous health and environmental benefits. The FDOT reports that 66 percent of our state highway system has bicycle lanes or paths. Studies also show more people are bicycling and walking than ever before. Alex believes in developing more bike and pedestrian friendly facilities and will ensure representation of these interests on the FDOT’s leadership planning committees, including the Strategic Intermodal System planning group. Florida is known for its award-winning Greenways and Trails program. Alex will support these “active transportation” programs and work to ensure that rail and transit facilities are easily accessible to bicyclists and pedestrians.

Improving Safety

As Governor, Alex also will seek to expand the percentage of federal safety funds that FDOT spends on bicycle and pedestrian safety programs. Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities represent 21.4% of all Florida traffic deaths yet less than 5% — about $4 million — of federal highway safety funding is spent on bike and pedestrian safety for the entire state. Even a modest increase could help boost safety outreach efforts.

Alex Sink Campaign additional analysis provided by Bike/Walk Lee here .