May 10, 2004 Telecommuting Review Article:

It's Election Year - Ready for Just About Anything?

I'm sure the politicians running for office at any level from dogcatcher to President feel that the November elections are just around the corner, even though they are six months away. Those of us not running for office have to endure an endless stream of ads, political posturing, and assorted electioneering in the meantime.

Here are two telecommuting-related examples:

First, Ken Orski reports in his May 2004 edition of INNOVATION BRIEFS on the progress (and I use that term loosely) of the legislation to reauthorize funding for surface transportation programs. He notes that the House passed its version (H.R. 3550) - a $284 billion bill - and negotiations are underway to reconcile it with the Senate version (S. 1007).

[The easiest way to find the text of these bills and all other transportation bills is to go to Thomas and search on the keyword "transportation".]

Orski cites section 1201 of the House bill (H.R. 3550), a section titled "Motor Vehicle Congestion Relief”. Take a look at that section to see what it covers - and note in particular this section listing what is excluded from funding under this bill:

"(C) EXCLUSIONS- Such term does not include demand relief projects and activities that shift demand to non-peak hours or to other modes of transportation or that reduce the overall level of demand for roads through such means as telecommuting, ridesharing, alternative work hour programs, and value pricing."

Quite something to note that here in 2004, after at least 20 years of Federal awareness of telecommuting, a solid demand-management strategy like telecommuting doesn't make the cut. There is, however, plenty of money allocated for so-called intelligent transportation systems.

Second, here's the full text of e-mail I received from Sol Levine. Maybe this is what we should do if we're dissatisfied with the way our current elected officials are - or are not - focusing on telecommuting:

TeleCommuters can Vote for Political Candidates to support Government Incentives to companies to offer more TeleCommuting jobs.

It's one public service all candidates and the public can get behind:

• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS REDUCES TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS REDUCES HIGHWAY CASUALTIES.
• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS REDUCES STRESS AND WASTED TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL.
• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS REDUCES ENERGY AND FOREIGN OIL DEPENDENCE.
• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS REDUCES POLLUTED LUNGS.
• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS REDUCES THE NUMBER OF KIDS WITHOUT PARENTS AT HOME.
• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS SAVES WORKERS TRANSPORTATION COSTS.
• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS SAVES OFFICE AND OPERATING COSTS.
• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS ALLOWS MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES.
• MORE TELECOMMUTING JOBS BENEFIT EVERYONE - AND WON'T COST THE PUBLIC A DIME! Average annual taxes now spent for each person commuting to work by car is about $500 - better spent as an incentive for companies to hire each TeleCommuter.
• TELECOMMUTING JOBS INCENTIVE PROGRAMS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED. The State of Oregon has such a program in effect.

The opportunity for votes from millions of TeleCommuters, millions who want to TeleCommute, and the general public can move politicians to promise a program like this. It could be enough votes to swing an election in a tight race!

TeleCommuters can cast their Votes to Political Candidates at: http://www.tjobs.com/voteform.shtml .

Sources of data supporting the above will also be found there.

Regards,
Sol Levine
Telecommuting Jobs/iVentive inc.