This month, I had the chance to attend Transit Day at the Oregon Capitol with Andi Howell from the City of Sandy and her team, Amy Schlappi from Columbia Area Transit, and Heidi Muller from Canby Area Transit. I was there to learn more about how small and rural transit agencies — like the ones Access Tech supports — get funding and speak up for their communities. 

What We Were Advocating For

We started the day with a meeting led by the Oregon Transit Association (OTA). They shared updates about current funding, new information about transit bills, and how to talk with lawmakers in clear and specific language at the Capitol.   

The bill we were there to support asks for a small increase in the payroll tax that funds public transit in Oregon. Right now, workers give 0.1% of their paychecks towards this funding. OTA wants to raise that to 0.5% by 2033. This would help avoid cuts and make sure people in rural areas and larger cities alike, can keep getting the rides they need.  

At the Capitol building in Salem, we spoke with Representative April Dobson, staff from Senator Jules Walters’ office, Representative Jeff Helfrich, and Representative Mark Gamba — who showed a lot of support. I got to talk with him about the amazing work being done at the City of Sandy and how proud I am to work with leaders like Andi. 

Inspiring Leaders

What inspired me most was seeing so many strong women leaders in one place — people like Andi Howell, Amy Schlappi, Heidi Muller, Muna Rustan, and Nancy Payne — all working hard for their communities. It reminded me how much care, heart, and leadership it takes to run public transit. It is important for companies like Access Tech to be in the thick of operations— to understand the inner workings of transit funding and what’s really at stake for the people we serve. 

Access Tech Always Supports Transit

Access Tech is proud to support the proposed payroll tax increase in this year’s transit bill. If you want to learn more about how this funding helps connect rural communities and why it matters, reach out to learn how Access Tech supports public transit across Oregon and beyond.