[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 133 (Thursday, November 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2060]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING LINDA WILSHUSEN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 18, 2004

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished career 
of Linda Wilshusen, a respected public servant who is retiring from her 
post after 19 years as executive director of the Santa Cruz County 
Regional Transportation Commission.
  Good transportation planning is essential to maintain both the 
quality of life Santa Cruz residents desire and the economic vitality 
necessary to sustain a robust workforce. Linda and her staff at the 
commission have worked tirelessly to develop a variety of 
transportation options and engage the public to make long-term 
transportation decisions that have been difficult, at times 
controversial, but necessary for the county to adopt a blueprint to 
meet future transportation needs.
  Linda has always recognized the amazing diversity of the community 
she served and balanced the desire of progrowth advocates by supporting 
Highway 1 improvements while promoting passenger rail and bus service, 
and developing transportation alternatives like a bike and pedestrian 
trail around the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and increasing 
public awareness of the transportation needs of elderly and disabled 
residents, and upgrading motorist safety and assistance.
  During Linda's tenure, the SCCRTC distributed over $300 million for 
local transportation programs that have made the Santa Cruz area a much 
more desirable place to live. Linda Wilshusen provided prescient 
leadership for 19 years at the helm of the Santa Cruz County Regional 
Transportation Commission and has had an enormous impact not only on 
the everyday lives of Santa Cruz County residents but also on anyone 
who has visited Santa Cruz County during the last two decades.
  Transportation planning is not the only area in which Linda has a 
tremendous impact on her beloved Santa Cruz community. In the last 
year, her family suffered the tragedy of losing their youngest 
daughter, Kelsey. However, Linda, her husband Rock Pfotenhauer, and her 
daughter Zephyr showed incredible courage and used their daughter's 
death to reach out to the community to bring public awareness to the 
need for better mental health programs so that other families would not 
suffer the same fate. I know other parents join me in wishing Linda and 
her family heartfelt sympathy for their unimaginable loss and gratitude 
for speaking out on the need for better mental health awareness.
  I am privileged to call Linda Wilshusen a valued friend and esteemed 
public servant. On behalf of all my constituents, I wish her and her 
family well. Thank you, Linda, for your unselfish public service.

                          ____________________