On the Way
Volume 1, Issue 11
October 2007

TLC Celebrates a Decade of Great Work!

The Union Depot was filled with nearly 300 people on September 28, 2007. It was an evening of celebration: Transit for Livable Communities celebrated its 10 year anniversary by honoring the lifetime achievements of retired Congressman Martin Sabo. A senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Sabo served as the ranking member of the Transportation Subcommittee, where he had a tremendous impact on increasing funding for transit, bicycling, and walking in Minnesota.

Like many good ideas, the idea for Transit for Livable Communities started over lunch in January 1995. Other regions were securing funding for transit systems, but it wasn’t happening in the Twin Cities. Barb Thoman, a planner in the recycling and solid waste field (and a regular transit rider), wrote a letter to the Highland Villager saying that transit needed more funding. John DeWitt, a financial systems analyst and community leader, heard about Barb from a staffer at Hennepin County. After reading Barb’s letter in the paper, he called her. 

Barb and John met for lunch early January 2005. They realized that regions with successful transit systems also had successful transit advocacy groups

A month later, Transit for Livable Communities (TLC) held its first public meeting at the Hamline Library in St. Paul. The turn out was encouraging, and TLC was incorporated on February 28 1996; its first full board meeting was held on September 28, in 1996.

TLC began operating like many young non-profits – very informally. In the early years, TLC’s phone rang in Barb’s dining room, the good computer was in John’s home office, and they picked up the mail at a post office box on University Avenue. TLC’s annual budget was $2,000 in 1997; its first grant came from the Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago. The grant was used to purchase a slide projector and to print off TLC’s first newsletter, The Gridlock Gazette, at Kinko’s.

In 1998, TLC Board member David Laverny-Rafter submitted a letter of inquiry to the Ford Foundation, which ultimately resulted in a three-year, $100,000 grant. For the first time TLC was able to hire staff – Barb Thoman and John Dewitt were both hired as half time staff. In 1999, TLC moved into its first office – two cubicles at the newly created Neighborhood Energy Consortium office, part of the award winning Mississippi Market Co-op building, where TLC still has its office.

In 2001, TLC hired Lea Schuster as its first full time Executive Director. TLC began an ambitious expansion of its staff, budget, and programs, including the creation of the Transportation Choices Network, which links local transit and land use advocates from around the region.  Today, Transit for Livable Communities employs nine permanent staff and has developed a network of nearly 10,000 people who can be counted on to speak up for transit, bicycling, walking, and smart development in their communities. 

TLC has grown over the past decade, but it remains true to the spirit in which it was founded: refocusing transportation priorities toward people by helping more people participate in transportation and development decisions with sound information and analysis. It’s been a wonderful 10 years. We thank everyone for their continued support, and we look forward to continuing the work in the future.