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On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Event information can be found here.  A second-term El Monte City Council member, Vicky Martinez was raised in El Monte by loving and hardworking parents. She attended local public schools and graduated from Arroyo High School, before working her way through Pasadena City College and California State University, Los Angeles.
Vicky was first elected to the City Council in 2011, and has since worked diligently to ensure public safety services and social programs continue to be a priority for the city. Over the past seven years these efforts have included championing the #HealthyElMonte movement, a long-term initiative to address the City’s high rate of childhood and adult obesity by reducing barriers to a physically-active, healthy lifestyle. By fostering and leveraging cross-sector collaboration between the City, regional government entities, local non-profit organizations, and community, the program has provided free fitness classes, the City’s first bicycle lanes, the SGV’s first multi-jurisdictional open streets event (in 2016), a senior fitness center, and a community garden to El Monte, among other achievements. To help promote a healthier, more sustainable El Monte, Vicky has also endorsed a successful Community Building Initiative to help beautify local streets, buildings, signage, and lighting. Her passion for healthier, more livable communities has also been evident at the regional level, as she’s served on the Community Services and Transportation Committees with the League of Cities, and represented the City with the Southern California Association of Governments, the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, and the Alameda Corridor East, as Vice Chair. Vicky is currently running for the California State Senate in District 22, representing the San Gabriel Valley.
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On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Event information can be found here.  Over the past decade the City of South Pasadena has become a leader in supporting the development of more walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly communities. After 8 years of effort, fundraising, and planning, the City is in the midst of constructing the San Gabriel Valley’s newest section of greenway, the Arroyo Seco River Path, which will link to an existing 4-mile section of path that begins at the City’s border with Los Angeles. Since adopting an updated Bicycle Master Plan in 2011, the City has striped buffered and standard Class II bike lanes on several streets frequented by people who bike, including Mission St. and El Centro Ave.  Class II Bike Lane, Mission St., South Pasadena The City played the lead role in securing and administering the grants which funded the historic, 8-community 626 Golden Streets ciclovia, the largest open streets event in the United States insofar as number of participating jurisdictions, and one of the longest distance-wise in California at 18.5 miles. Designed to celebrate and encourage the use of the Foothill Gold Line, historic event was successfully staged on the one year anniversary of the Azusa extension opening - Sunday March, 5, 2017 - and attracted an estimated 100,000 participants over the course of 6 hours. According to a survey of event participants, 50% of attendees had never attended an open streets event before, and 17% used the Gold Line for the first time as a result of the event. The City’s experience in hosting bike events is not limited to 626 Golden Streets, either. In 2003 City leaders supported the ‘Arroyo Fest’, an ‘open freeway’ event that allowed people to walk, bike, skate and scoot along the Pasadena freeway. More recently, the City hosted the start of Stage 2 of the 2016 Tour of California, the largest professional bike race in the United States. South Pasadena staff and leadership also have a track record of facilitating award-winning Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) projects, notably the Mission-Meridian project adjacent to its downtown Gold Line station. The transit-friendly mixed-use development has been recognized as among the best of the entire LA Metro system.  Visioning for a More Multi-modal Mission St., South Pasadena General Plan Update (2017) City planners and leaders have also placed South Pasadena on a trajectory to build upon this work. An updated Mission Street Specific Plan calls for future, walkable TOD projects. The City is scheduled to implement a Downtown Bicycle Parking grant in 2018 to improve access to bikes, recently secured funding for a local Bike Share program, and is looking to host another ciclovia in the next few years. Last but not least, an update to the City’s General Plan is underway, with community-driven working groups already envisioning opportunities to create a greener, safer, and more sustainable network of downtown streets. On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Tickets and event information can be found here.  Otto Sayes works in El Monte, lives in Ontario, and loves to ride his bike. A mail sorter by night and photographer by day (and night), Otto started riding with BikeSGV as it was convenient. Most BikeSGV rides started within minutes of his workplace, providing an easy opportunity to finish a shift with a casual ride. An experienced rider, Otto became a fixture at BikeSGV’s monthly community rides in 2016, often showing up early with a jug of orange juice to donate to participants. He also became a certified BikeSGV ride marshall in 2017, helping make community rides as safe and enjoyable as possible for riders of all ages and abilities. In 2017 Otto helped guide almost every #SGVBikeChallenge ride - BikeSGV’s first attempt at hosting communities rides touching every SGV community in one calendar year. His marshall attendance record even bested many staff members for the monthly BikeSGV ride series. More comfortable on a bike than on foot - a fact that belies a background as a hit-and-run survivor who nearly lost his life in a crosswalk in Montebello - Otto helped guide over 1,000 community ride participants in 2016-17. Otto was also one of only a few official event photographers to shoot the massive ‘626 Golden Streets’ ciclovia on Sunday March 5, 2017, which connected the communities of South Pasadena, San Marino, East Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, and Azusa via 18.5 miles of open streets. Many of the most memorable pictures captured that day were shot by Otto, an invaluable service to the small BikeSGV team that spent the better part of 2 years organizing the historic event (see Otto’s photos here). When recently asked why he volunteers for BikeSGV, Otto replied: “It’s family! And family help each other.”  Youths at 626 Golden Streets, Foothill Blvd., Azusa (courtesy of Otto Sayes) On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Event information can be found here.  Samuel Zneimer has been in the transportation planning field for 7 years, with professional experience in active transportation, community development, environmental analysis, site planning, parking studies, transportation studies, analyses for non-motorized technical studies, grant writing and management, and development implementation plans. During his tenure at the City of South Pasadena, Sam was a co-author of the City’s 2011 Bicycle Master Plan, whose implementation has moved forward in recent years with the striping of Class II bike lanes on sections of Mission St. and El Centro St., as well as the construction of the City’s Arroyo Seco River Path underway (completion slated for February 2018). A graduate of South Pasadena schools and USC’s Urban and Regional Planning Master’s program, where he focused on Transportation and Infrastructure, Sam juggled graduate studies and creating a more pedestrian-, bike-, and transit-friendly South Pasadena during his time with the City by helping secure multiple active transportations grants (including a downtown bicycle parking grant expected to be implemented in 2018), advancing several local bicycle projects such as the Arroyo Seco Path extension, and representing the City at multiple regional working groups to further active transportation in the region. Sam also played a lead facilitation role for special events in the City, including two of the largest bike events in the country, Stage 2 of the 2016 Amgen Tour of California and the 626 Golden Streets ciclovía.  Mission St., 626 Golden Streets, 3/5/17 (Tim Hans photography) A lifelong South Pasadena resident, Sam currently works as a transportation consultant at Translink Consulting. He has worked on in multiple projects in Southern California including the Metro Orange Line Grade Separation/Operational Improvement Technical Study, Metro West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor Environmental Study and Metro Arterial Performance Measurement Pilot.
On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Tickets and event information can be found here.  Danielle Zamora first learned about BikeSGV at an outreach booth. She later attended a bicycle safety class taught by BikeSGV instructors Amy Wong, Andrew Yip, and David Diaz, where she learned how to bike safely and predictably on the street. She then started joining BikeSGV's monthly Bike Train and Women-on-Wheels community rides where she gained more riding confidence. She learned how to fix a flat tire and other basic bike mechanics from Bicycle Education Center Director Jose Jiminez.  Infographic Danielle created with findings from her graduate study project. In 2016 Danielle began volunteering with the BikeSGV team. As an official BikeSGV intern for the San Gabriel Valley Active Transportation Data Collection project, Danielle collected 204 hours surveying members of the public about walking and bicycling conditions; assisting with manual pedestrian and bicycle counts across the valley; and auditing the region’s inventory of bicycle racks. She also donated time to BikeSGV as a ride marshall and coordinator for the Women-on-Wheels program. Danielle even coordinated some of her Masters’ studies in Community Psychology with BikeSGV projects, integrating fieldwork and research on the unique challenges and motivations for cycling perceived by women bicyclists in the SGV. Danielle is passionate about empowering girls and women to bike and reap the environmental, financial, and health benefits that bicycling brings. She describes, in her own words, why she dedicates so much of herself to BikeSGV’s mission, saying, “I knew that biking was something I enjoyed doing but wasn’t comfortable riding anywhere other than my neighborhood and separated bike paths. Biking as a form of transportation seemed unattainable to me. I liked to imagine myself as one day being the kind of person who would commute by bike to reduce my carbon footprint, save some money, and stay active, healthy, and happy. However, I didn’t know how to make that happen.” Over the course of the past 18 months Danielle has transitioned from being completely unskilled and afraid of riding a bicycle anywhere to leading community group rides and teaching classes about bicycle safety as a nationally-certified bicycle safety instructor (LCI). She now commutes by bike when and where she can. In October 2017, she joined BikeSGV as a full-time Outreach Coordinator, a position that will see her lead BikeSGV’s support for the region’s first Bicycle Friendly Business Districts and the development of the 5-City San Gabriel Valley Active Transportation Plan in 2018. Danielle is a resident of the North Whittier/Avocado Heights area, a graduate of the University of La Verne (Double major in Studio Art and Psychology) and Marymount California University (Master’s in Community Psychology). Along with biking, Danielle enjoys hiking, writing song lyrics, and singing with her band Sherry Valence. She also is a member of BikeSGV’s first Climate Ride team. If you donate to her fundraising effort here, she’ll even bake you some fresh chocolate chip cookies, vegan option available!  Danielle, 3rd from right, with the WoW team  Rendering of a greener, more multi-modal Fair Oaks Ave with protected bikeways (courtesy of South Pasadena General Plan Update, November 2017) Almost $1 BILLION in Measure R funding originally set-aside for the 710-N freeway tunnel is being made available to cities along the proposed freeway corridor, following a Metro Los Angeles Board of Directors motion that took the 710 freeway tunnel alternative off the table. How will the money be spent? That is still very much to be determined. The board's motion directed that funding set-aside for the 710-N be redirected as follows:
What does this mean in layman's terms? Basically cities can pitch two types of project ideas to Metro:
To kick off this process, Metro has asked each project area community to draft and submit an 'Early Action Project' list by the end of the 2017, with very little specific guidance other than that projects should help relieve congestion along the corridor. This means the approaches taken by the cities of Pasadena, South Pasadena, Alhambra, Monterey Park and others could be as different as their local leadership and historic approaches to transportation planning. Anyone who has driven a car, ridden a bike, or walked across these communities is keenly aware of the different approaches each of these communities has taken to street design, with 4-lane arterials with no permitted street parking transitioning to 2-lane, tree-lined thoroughfares with curb parking at City borders. How initial project lists are to be developed was also not spelled out by the Metro Board. Some communities like the City of South Pasadena have hosted special public meetings to solicit community input in the process. In others it appears project wish lists are being drafted internally. South PasadenaThe City of South Pasadena's draft 'wish list' to Metro (see page 85, agenda packet) is scheduled to be discussed at a special City Council meeting Tuesday November 21st at 7pm (agenda). At the moment the project list, drafted by Nelson/Nygaard calls for a number of big ticket items, including:
In general, South Pasadena's 'wish list' falls surprisingly heavy on the increasing automobile throughput rather than the reducing automobile trips side of the equation. Considering the fact that over 30% of trips in southern California are less than 3 miles in distance, BikeSGV finds that this approach would be a missed opportunity that doesn't mesh with the City's ongoing General Plan update, which seeks to balance facilitating vehicle access with supporting more sustainable, alternative modes of transportation. For example, the City's General Plan update has produced renderings of a more multi-modal Fair Oaks Avenue that would include parking- or planter-protected bicycle lanes, and no loss of automobile travel lanes (see image below).
Renderings courtesy of City of South Pasadena - General Plan Update PasadenaThe City of Pasadena has begun public discussion and formal consideration of potential 'Early Action' projects, also with the assistance of Nelson/Nygaard consultants. At the City's October Transportation Advisory Commission meeting, commissioners and staff discussed local project options, including the following potential 'wish list' items:
Alhambra, Monterey Park and San MarinoThe Cities of Alhambra, Monterey Park and San Marino have not hosted a public meeting regarding the development of their respective City 'wish lists.' Get InvolvedIt's not everyday that $1 billion is made available for local transportation projects. Local streets are one of our community’s greatest yet most overlooked public assets. When designed well, city streets can support small businesses, improve air quality, encourage physical activity, reduce the number and severity of traffic collisions, capture stormwater, and better prepare our community for the impacts of climate change.
BikeSGV strongly encourages SGV residents (especially those who live in the project corridor cities of South Pasadena, Pasadena, Alhambra, and Monterey Park) to engage in this historic process. Whether it be emailing your elected officials, attending a public meeting, or spreading the word at opportune moments, YOU can make a difference. Stay informed about upcoming opportunities to weigh in by clicking here. And please let us know how you would like to see this transportation funding repurposed in the comments or by contacting us via email or phone. We'd love to hear your thoughts! On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Tickets and event information can be found here  The City of South El Monte is located in the south central part of the San Gabriel Valley. Home to approximately 20,100 residents over a total area of 2.8 square miles, South El Monte is bordered by Rosemead to the west, El Monte to the north and east, and the Whittier Narrows Recreational Area along the southern boundary. Bicyclists, walkers, runners, and other recreation groups are drawn to Whittier Narrows and both the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel River bike paths for recreational activities. In 2011, the City of South El Monte submitted a proposal to receive Metro Call for Projects funds for several bicycle infrastructure projects. The application included a Bicycle Master Plan map highlighting proposed bikeways. The impetus for the Bicycle Master Plan and subsequent funding application was a need to create regional non-motorized transportation connections between the City of South El Monte, the El Monte Transit Center, and the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. The three primary corridors proposed to receive bicycle facilities were Merced Avenue, Tyler Avenue/Santa Anita Avenue, and Thienes Avenue. Merced Avenue would become a Class III bicycle route, while Tyler Avenue/Santa Anita Avenue and Thienes Avenue would receive Class II bike lanes. In 2012, the City of South El Monte brought forth the Revitalization Plan for the Santa Anita/Tyler Avenue Corridor, with community input focuses improvements on the Durfee Avenue/Peck Road in the southern portion of the City. In addition to the primary corridor, the planning effort also focused on the adjoining portions of East Rush Street and Thienes Avenue.  Unanimously adopted 2014 City Bicycle Master Plan In December 2014, the City unanimously adopted the San Gabriel Valley Regional Bicycle Master Plan, which was developed through a comprehensive, community driven outreach process. Local non-profit organizations Day One and BikeSGV were responsible for conducting focus groups with local stakeholders, data collection, community outreach and engagement leading to the adoption of the plan. The City also adopted a Vision Zero Resolution and Complete Streets Policy.
In June 2017 South El Monte successfully completed development of the San Gabriel Valley’s second protected bikeway on Durfee Ave, going above-and-beyond the standard Class II bike lane proposed in the 2014 City bicycle master plan, and thereby creating a much safer connection for people on bikes to access Whittier Narrows, the San Gabriel River, the City's commercial corridor. The Complete Streets project also included stormwater capture elements, including a permeable center median, native plants, and bicycle lane protected by stormwater capture bioswales.  In 2016 the City hosted its first ciclovia, and is planning to host its second in 2018-19 Looking forward the City has partnered with Day One, the Council for Watershed Health, and Climate Resolve to implement best management practices for the construction of a 1.1 mile protected, ‘green’ street on Merced Ave. The integrated planning approach and design will implement strategies to increase physical activity, improve safety, capture stormwater and mitigate the urban heat island effect. The City has also submitted a letter of interest to Metro to explore the feasibility of a local bike share program, received funding to host another ciclovia, and partnered with the City of El Monte to launch a local bike-friendly business district program.
Noche de las Luminarias | Community Organization of the Year | Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition11/20/2017 On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Event information can be found here  The Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition was founded in 2013 following the deaths of Alan Deane, Phillip O’Neill, and Jocelyn Young, who were struck and killed by motorists in three separate incidents while riding bicycles on official Pasadena bicycle routes. Since then the all-volunteer group of Pasadena residents and stakeholders has become become a driving force for safe, sustainable mobility in the City of Pasadena guided by a belief that streets are for people to walk, bike, drive, and ride transit. The group’s 3 main goals are to: 1) foster the implementation of Complete Streets projects; 2) reduce the number of pedestrian-automobile and bicycle-automobile collisions that result in serious injury or death; and 3) support the City's Guiding Principle #5 - "Pasadena will be a City where people can safely circulate without cars."  Ghost bike for Alan Deane on Colorado Blvd (image courtesy of PasCSC) Over the past four years the community coalition has successfully advocated for a stronger bicycle master plan that calls for the development of a network of protected east-west and north-south bikeways; safer pedestrian and bicycle access to the City’s 6 Foothill Gold Line stations; and the creation of a system of ‘neighborhood greenways’ - traffic-calmed streets that are comfortable for people of all ages to ride a bicycle on - that the City of Pasadena has dubbed ‘Roseways’.
In 2014 the coalition also strongly supported Pasadena's adoption of new transportation metrics, urging the City Council (PCC) to bid farewell to auto Level of Service (LOS), a driving force of auto-centric street design for decades across California. In doing so, Pasadena became one of the first cities in California to adopt the more sustainable and people-friendly "Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)" metric. Group organizers also championed reform of parking requirements in transit-oriented neighborhoods to facilitate more multi-modal development in the City's downtown.  Complete Streets are also 'Green' Streets, providing multi-benefits including stormwater capture In 2017 the group utilized its ‘Complete Streets’ and local transportation organizing experience to support stakeholders and residents of the North Fair Oaks corridor who identified making their street safer and more inviting a major need during a neighborhood community needs assessment process. PasCSC organizers subsequently helped the ‘North Fair Oaks Empowerment’ working group successfully advocate for funds to implement safer crosswalks and install speed feedback signs during the City’s annual “Capital Improvement Program” process.  Made up of a diverse group of local residents of all ages and representatives from Pasadena community groups, the coalition also regularly organizes, participates in, and/or hosts engaging community events, including International Park(ing) Day, Walktober (National Walking Month), Pasadena Bike Month, cicLAvia feeder rides, ghost bike installations, the Pasadena Ride of Silence, and the World Day of Remembrance for victims of traffic violence. Learn more and get involved at www.pasadenaCSC.org or @PasadenaCSC on social media.  On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Event information can be found here.  Justine Garcia currently holds the title of Transportation Programs Analyst for the City of Glendora and has just over 8 years of experience in the government sector. She began her career in local government straight out of college with the City of Covina where her passion for transportation and bicycling was ignited. Although she has spent the majority of her career within city Transportation Divisions, she is passionate about all aspects of government and community, and how they intertwine to create one cohesive network of services. Over the past four years she has taken Glendora’s Transportation Division from a small Commuter Shuttle and Dial-A- Ride operation, to one that focuses upon all modes of transportation and how they connect to each other. She has encouraged transit use within Glendora’s youth community through the Midday Teen Center Shuttle Operation and within the City’s Older Adult population through the Division’s Transit Options Workshops. She has encouraged the community to get out and ride bikes through coordinated Bike Month activities and events, and is also an instrumental part of the Urban Trail and Greenway Network project within Glendora. The latter is among the region's most advanced and forward-thinking urban greenway projects, thanks to Justine's efforts and years of work coordinating with multiple public agencies, including the Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles County Flood Control, and Caltrans.  Justine's work also includes coordination with other City Departments, government agencies such as LA Metro and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, as well as local community groups to advance local and regional projects, and successfully compete for grant funding for Glendora and the region.  An SGV native who grew up in the City of Alhambra, Justine holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Policy, Management and Planning from the University of Southern California (Fight On!), and currently resides in Claremont with her partner in crime, Ken and their two dogs, Harley and Mia.
On Saturday December 2, 2017, BikeSGV will host its annual party - 'Noche de las Luminarias' - to celebrate the progress towards a more pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly SGV. This profile is one of a series of posts highlighting some of the people at the forefront of this movement. Event information can be found here.  Doug Strange and his wife Donna have been a residents of La Verne for 27 years, where they raised two children. The founder of the popular Facebook Group “Cycling Around La Verne” and a joint founder of the current La Verne Bicycle Coalition, Doug has emerged as a driving force for a more bicycle-and-pedestrian-friendly La Verne over the past several years. Doug's influence has been instrumental in encouraging the City of La Verne to recognize the need for safety improvements to local streets, form a community Active Transportation Advisory Group, begin development of its first Active Transportation Master Plan, and partner with donors to install additional supportive infrastructure such as bicycle repair stations. Doug's efforts are multifaceted, incorporating education outreach to create awareness, connecting multiple stakeholders to create a base, leveraging diverse activities to create momentum, and building relationships to enhance his community's capacity to make local streets safer for everyone. From leading City Council and Mayoral candidates on private bicycle tours of La Verne to facilitating regular meetings at one of the City's best (and most bike-friendly) watering holes, Doug has paired his roots in the community and a passion for the bicycle to advance change in the City of La Verne.  Doug (in blue) leading a local bicycle tour with Council Candidate Thanks in part to Doug's work, 2018 is shaping up to be a banner year for local efforts to create a more bike-able and walkable La Verne. On Earth Day (4/22/18) the City will participate in its first major bicycle event as part of the 4-city to-be-named East San Gabriel Valley cicLAvia connecting the cities of San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona and Claremont. The City is expected to complete work on its first Active Transportation Plan (ATP) and continue work on a new General Plan which will incorporate the ATP. The City will also begin implementing street improvements including more bike-recognizing traffic signals, bike lanes on Baseline, and installing a protected bikeway along Arrow Highway, currently a dangerous, high-speed arterial that will connect to the City's future Gold Line station.  La Verne Station rendering (via iwillride.org) While not on a bike, Doug worked for Southern California Edison as a Senior Project Manager, often working large projects with a high level of process and organizational change. He has long been an active cyclists, enjoying cycling of all types and commuted to work regularly. In 2017 he retired from Southern California Edison, and he and Donna cycled across the country via the Trans America Trail. He now splits his time riding bikes while others are at work, planning their next bicycle tour, and working to encourage La Verne to become a more bicycle-friendly community.
Editor's note: Learn more about Doug's work on this SGV Connect podcast. |
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ActiveSGV is a project of Community Partners, a non-profit public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
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All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.