Applegate Transit

Dear Applegators:

For the past four years, we have been working on plans to form a transportation district and bring transportation service to the Applegate Valley. This effort is largely to be funded and service plans drafted thanks to the federal new-starts transportation program. Due to the Trump administration's revocation of federal dollars from the great state of Oregon and the failure of the transportation bill in the Oregon State Legislature directly impacting our sister transportation agencies, we no longer see a path forward by which we can bring transportation service to the community.

Our work has largely been performed in volunteer service to the community by volunteers like myself, with grant money being judiciously used to operate our online presence and to obtain resources we cannot otherwise derive on our own. We strive to be excellent stewards. With the recent removal of funding, our ability to continue this work will be severely hampered. We will continue our planning efforts as best we can with what we have left. With a large part of our future funding strategy now eliminated, we do not currently see future service as possible.

As you may be aware, vehicles and operators are not free, we cannot in good faith ask local taxpayers to foot the whole bill for service. Our hope is that we will see a return of federal dollars to both new starts programs and operational funding of rural transportation here in Oregon.

For those so motivated, please feel free to contact your elected officials. We have compiled a list of all state and federal congresspersons who are elected to represent us in the Applegate valley:

• Dwayne Yunker — State Representative, District 3. Rep. Yunker represents everyone in Provolt & Williams in the Oregon State Legislature.
• Alex Skarlatos — State Representative, District 4. Rep. Skarlatos represents everyone north of the river excluding Provolt & Williams in the Oregon State Legislature.
• Pam Marsh — State Representative, District 5. Rep. Marsh represents everyone south of the Applegate river in the Oregon State Legislature.
• Noah Robinson — State Senator, District 2.
• Cliff Bentz — Congressman, 2^nd Congressional District, U.S. House of Representatives.

Any questions, comments, or concerns can be directed to our planning email at planning@applegatetransit.org.

If our circumstances improve in the future, we humbly request your support for our efforts to bring transportation to the Applegate Valley. We look forward to serving you in the future.

Yours Faithfully,
Kai Wetlesen
Interim General Manager -- Applegate Transit

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