From today's Monterey Herald:

Panel gives buses a boost
Draft tax plan pulls rail funding
By JIM JOHNSON
Herald Salinas Bureau
Article Last Updated: 10/25/2007 01:32:08 AM PDT


Rail is out and more bus funding is in. For now.
Pressure from hospitality and agriculture industry leaders has prompted the regional transportation staff to pull funding for Caltrain rail operations out of a draft transportation sales tax spending plan and replace it with more money for buses.

Debbie Hale, executive director of the Transportation Agency for Monterey County, said it was more important to avoid potential opposition to the proposed half-cent sales tax headed for the ballot in November 2008 than to stick with rail.

"What we want to do is get a measure that everyone will support," Hale said. "The notion is, in a county like ours, that we need to have everyone's support to get a sales tax."

TAMC officials are drafting a list of spending priorities for $700 million that would be raised from the hoped-for 20-year, half-cent transportation sales tax that would require two-thirds voter approval.

The money could allow the county to achieve "self-help" status and attract more than $600 million in federal and state matching funds, said transportation officials.

Combined with about $360 million in developer impact fees, the sales tax could help the county meet its projected $1.15 billion in transportation needs during the next two decades.

On Wednesday, TAMC's board of directors reviewed the latest version of the draft investment plan for the sales tax proceeds, which includes spending on highway, roads maintenance and alternative transportation


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projects.
The new draft plan replaced funding for rail operations, a top priority for Salinas officials who are backing a Caltrain project, with more money for bus transit, a favorite of many alternative transportation supporters, said Hale.

As a result, bus projects will receive 20 percent of the sales tax funding, instead of 13 percent allocated under the previous draft plan.

But Hale noted that the plan could change and that rail funding could make it back in. She said if Salinas officials change their mind about supporting the new draft plan despite assurance from TAMC's staff that they could likely find alternative funding sources for rail operations, it could change everything.

"The city of Salinas is pretty key," Hale said.

Supervisor Dave Potter, a supporter of the Caltrain project, said he isn't concerned about the loss of rail funding.

"I think we can find other ways of funding it," he said. "I'm not worried about the opposition, either. People don't move to a community because it has rail service. We can't pave our way out of (traffic problems)."

A final draft is due to the TAMC board at its Dec. 5 meeting. The plan is supposed to be finalized and ready for adoption by county and city officials by spring, when backers hope to begin campaigning for the initiative.

In September, the Monterey County Hospitality Association and the Monterey County Farm Bureau sent letters to TAMC officials citing their opposition to funding for alternative transportation projects, such as rail, at the expense of highway and road improvements.

The Farm Bureau was particularly critical of rail operations, suggesting that it draws long-distance commuters and spurs the creation of bedroom communities. Both groups warned TAMC officials that they might not support a sales tax measure if it didn't reflect their priorities.

TAMC has been backing a proposal to extend Caltrain service south from the Bay Area and Gilroy to Pajaro, Castroville and Salinas. The project would cost an estimated $100 million.


Jim Johnson can be reached at 753-6753 or jjohnson@montereyherald.com.


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Herald question of the day Which service do you want to see more of in Monterey County? o Bus service |o Rail service | Go to: montereyherald.com to place your vote Herald surveys are unscientific
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