CSAC Helps Create New Coalition
The Goals: Support Prop 69, Oppose SB 1 Repeal
CSAC is one of the founding members of a recently created broad-based coalition to ensure passage of Proposition 69 and to defeat any attempt to repeal SB 1 – the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. The Coalition to Protect Local Transportation Improvements (Coalition) represents local government, business, labor, social justice advocates, community groups, public safety leaders, transportation advocates and taxpayers.
CSAC will play a major role in the Coalition, as the repeal of SB 1 would be disastrous for counties across the state struggling to provide safe, modern and efficient transportation options to their communities. Read the Coalition news release at this link. The CSAC Board of Directors also took action yesterday to dedicate resources toward the effort.
The proposed ballot measure to repeal SB 1 is currently in the signature-gathering phase. Prop 69, the constitutional amendment that will prevent the legislature from borrowing or diverting new transportation funds not already protected will be on the June 2018 ballot. The Coalition will work to gain voter approval for Proposition 69 and to defeat the repeal effort.
SB 1 is starting to generate revenue which will reach more than $5 billion a year at full implementation. Many counties are gearing up for the 2018 construction season and working to deliver SB 1 projects in every community in California. In his State of the State address earlier this year, Governor Jerry Brown said “The funds that SB 1 makes available are absolutely necessary if we are going to maintain our roads and transit systems in good repair. I will do everything in my power to defeat any repeal effort that may make it to the ballot. You can count on that!”
“SB 1 will provide funding to every city, county and transit agency in the state to make vital local road safety and transportation improvements that impact every California motorist,” said Matt Cate, Executive Director of the California State Association of Counties. “We will do everything necessary to protect these revenues to deliver safer, less congested roads to the residents our members were elected to represent.”
Counties can visit the CSAC webpage dedicated to SB 1 as well as www.rebuildingca.ca.gov for more information on SB 1, a toolkit for counties to help educate the public about local projects, and a useful interactive map that provides information on active and planned multimodal SB 1 projects in California.