The Santa Barbara based Alliance for Sustainable and Equitable Regional Transportation (ASERT) convened a panel discussion at the Santa Barbara Central Public Library on Saturday January 24th, 2009. The event celebrated the Nov 2008 passage of Measure A, which funds county transportation projects through a dedicated sales tax, while anticipating future challenges and opportunities in light of both economic conditions and the funding priorities of the Obama administration.
As a resident of Ventura County, I found the discussion particularly relevant for two reasons:
1) Transportation issues are regional by nature and are not constrained by county lines.
2) Measure A passed by 80%, one of the largest margins since the implementation of the 2/3rds rule in the early 1990s, presenting a case study for similar campaigns.
Since Ventura County is currently the largest county in the State of California without a dedicated portion of its sales tax to fund transportation, the campaign to get measure A passed provides particularly relevant lessons. At a time when the state budget crisis is impacting the state monies many counties and cities rely on to fund local needs, a lack of dedicated funding for transportation issues can translate to a serious crisis. Not only are cities and counties that lack self-funding at the back of the line for state assistance, but they often lack the ability to fund even basic maintenance, let alone the types of infrastructure projects we need to move forward on issues of congestion, environmental health and economic development.
The wide-ranging discussion offered a wealth of information on current and future developments in transportation policy and practice in both Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. The panel included special guest former Massachusetts Governor and Presidential Candidate Michael Dukakis, who in addition to being a Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Northeastern University and UCLA is also the past Vice-Chair of Amtrak. The Honorable Supervisor Salud Carbajal moderated the event and additional panelists included Michael Chiacos, Energy Program Senior Associate of the Community Environmental Council; Gregg Hart, Public Information and Government Affairs Coordinator of Santa Barbara County Association of Governments; and Peter De Hann Programming Director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission. While Congresswoman Lois Capps was unable to attend, her district representative Jonathan Saur was on hand to read a statement reaffirming her commitment to issues of sustainable transportation.
As much as the public supports alternative transportation and currently favors large scale infrastructure development, the reality is these projects are often but a sliver of the transportation funding pie. Add in the current economic crisis, and funding for these critical projects is essentially nonexistent. Two major funding issues stood out against the backdrop of the state budget crisis and the economic downturn: first, that money is generally only available for capital improvements (such as the purchase of buses or trains), but not their operating costs; and two, that the current economic stimulus plan funds only those projects that can be shovel ready within 120 days, which will primarily translate to basic road repair. When it comes to transportation funding, we really need the time and the money to both cover operating expenses and pursue the alternative transportation and energy solutions the public intended these monies to fund.
Further highlighting the extent to which alternative transportation is losing out in funding, Dukakis pointed out that in an average year the federal government spends $33 billion on highways, $16 billion on airlines, and a paltry $1.5 billion on rail. As he put it, there is no form of transportation that is currently unsubsidized. So despite the public demand for alternative transportation, votes don’t always translate to funding priorities. And the time delays inherent to these large scale projects mean we often turn to quicker but less substantial solutions.
Santa Barbara County alone consumes 250 million gallons of liquid fuels per year, despite its boasting the 3rd highest per capita ownership of hybrid vehicles in the nation. With the passage of Measure A, however, funds will be available for more programs and projects to address these issues. Even before the passage of the measure, Santa Barbara County saw the addition of a new Lompoc-Vandenberg Air Force Base-Santa Maria bus service, “The Breeze,” which reached its projected 3-year ridership levels after only 6 months.
There is some good news on Ventura County efforts to get transportation alternatives up and running as well. The Coastal Express has been the star of the bus system with a ridership increase of 17% per year, and a proposal to accommodate morning commuters with more convenient train schedules is currently being pursued. But Ventura County is currently facing a potential $4 million shortfall in transportation funds: the funding gap is threatening Metrolink service to LA as officials scramble to come up with the missing money. And who wants to be driving down the 101 with all that train traffic back on the highway? Or worse still, riding the rails with train control upgrades pushed off because the money just isn’t there? Clearly, the gap between transportation needs and available funds must be addressed.
Sorry you missed the panel? You’re in luck because ASERT will be hosting its first Ventura County event on Saturday, January 31st from 8:30am-12noon at the Ventura College Cafeteria (4667 Telegraph Rd, Ventura, CA). While it will focus more on taking action to improve public transportation, the public will have an opportunity to meet advocates and leaders in transportation, share their transportation needs and create a strategy to improve public transportation. For more information about ASERT or to RSVP for “Moving the Central Coast Forward”, contact Carmen Ramirez at [email protected] / (805) 658-0810 X. 213
See local news coverage of the ASERT event Seizing the Moment: Sustainable Transportation in the Obama Era