TCTC's Position Letter on Transportation Funding Bills - SBX1 1 and ABX1 26
The Tuolumne County Transportation Council (TCTC) has adopted its position letter regarding Senator Jim Beall and Assemblyman Jim Frazier’s bills on transportation funding. We certainly appreciate the efforts Senator Beall, Assemblyman Frazier, and Transportation California did to address a broad range of concerns. Unfortunately, we feel it did not go far enough in addressing some of the inequities rural counties face in state policies and programs. It should be noted, the TCTC did change their position to supporting the revenue increasing measures proposed, if the bills were reformed to include the following:
The bills should provide a fair share return of locally generated fees on the price of fuel to cover Cap and Trade credits.
The bills should exempt rural counties of under 100,000 population from CEQA reform proposals pursuant to SB 743.
A representative from a rural county of less the 100,000 population shall be included on the California Transportation Commission.
All new revenues should be divided 50/50 between state and local agencies. Rural counties fair share should be apportioned directly to local/regional agencies. The 50/50 apportionment should include Cap and Trade funding as well as the Active Transportation Program.
All transportation generated funding including Cap and Trade as well as existing/new Vehicle License Fees (VLF) should be dedicated exclusively to transportation projects and programs.