This is a sign of the times.
Nissan’s North American headquarters is in Nashville. They built a new office building in a suburb (typical). But now, they are pushing for more mass transit service.
Here’s the blurb in the Tennessean from the real estate developer:
Transit service sought
Had gasoline prices hit the $4 mark 10 years ago, the development probably wouldn’t have happened, Emery [the real estate developer] said. But now that there is so much in Cool Springs, and plenty of land for more housing, the high gas prices shouldn’t have any effect, he said. The company is pushing for more mass-transit service, he added.
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That’s rich. And somehow, our advocacy for a dramatic expansion of transit, needs to reflect the new paradigm. We need to develop a proposal for every state legislature, every governor, every city council, every mayor, the Congress and the new Administration so that when they figure out how to meet the demands of their constituents (including car manufacturers!) for more transit, there is a proposal on the table they can implement.
It’s our job to develop that proposal and make it very public. Because if we don’t come up with a specific proposal that the government can implement in the next fiscal year, then the likeliest reaction to the growing demand for more transit will be lip service. To translate the growing demand into an actionable proposal that is implemented, agencies and advocates have to come up with “What the Government Can Do Now” and propose it publicly.
Public policy proposals are part of a communications plan.
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