HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2015-124 N.C.S. 08/03/2015Resolution No. 2015 -124 N.C.S.
of the City of Petaluma, California
URGING THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO PROVIDE NEW SUSTAINABLE
FUNDING FOR STATE AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
WHEREAS, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. has called an extraordinary session to
address the immense underfunding of California's transportation infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, cities and counties own and operate more than 81 percent of streets and
roads in California, and from the moment we open our front door to drive to work, bike to
school, or walk to the bus station, people are dependent upon a safe, reliable local transportation
network; and
WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma has participated in efforts with the California State
Association of Counties, League of California Cities, and California's Regional Transportation
Planning Agencies to study unmet funding needs for local roads and bridges, including sidewalks
and other essential components; and
WHEREAS, the resulting 2014 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs
Assessment, which provides critical analysis and information on the local transportation
network's condition and funding needs, indicates that the condition of the local transportation
network is deteriorating as predicted in the initial 2008 study; and
WHEREAS, the results show that California's local streets and roads are on a path of
significant decline. On a scale of zero (failed) to 100 (excellent), the statewide average pavement
condition index (PCI) is 66, placing it in the "at risk" category where pavements will begin to
deteriorate much more rapidly and require rehabilitation or rebuilding rather than more cost -
effective preventative maintenance if funding is not increased; and
WHEREAS, the results show that the City of Petaluma's local streets have a statewide
average pavement index of 44, placing them in the "poor" category; and
WHEREAS, if funding remains at the current levels, in 10 years, 25 percent of local
streets and roads in California will be in "failed" condition; and
WHEREAS, cities and counties need an additional $1.7 billion just to maintain a status
quo pavement condition of 66, and much more revenue to operate the system with Best
Management Practices, which would reduce the total amount of funding needed for maintenance
in the future; and
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WHEREAS, models show that an additional $3 billion annual investment in the local
streets and roads system is expected to improve pavement conditions statewide from an average
"at risk" condition to an average "good" condition; and
WHEREAS, if additional funding isn't secured now, it will cost taxpayers twice as much
to fix the local system in the future, as failure to act this year will increase unmet funding needs
for local transportation facilities by $11 billion in five years and $21 billion in ten years; and
WHEREAS, modernizing the local street and road system provides well - paying
construction jobs and boosts local economies; and
WHEREAS, the local street and road system is also critical for farm to market needs,
interconnectivity, multimodal needs, and commerce; and
WHEREAS, police, fire, and emergency medical services all need safe reliable roads to
react quickly to emergency calls and a few minutes of delay can be a matter of life and death;
and
WHEREAS, maintaining and preserving the local street and road system in good
condition will reduce drive times and traffic congestion, improve bicycle safety, and make the
pedestrian experience safer and more appealing, which leads to reduce vehicle emissions helping
the State achieve its air quality and greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals; and
WHEREAS, restoring roads before they fail also reduces construction time which results
in less air pollution from heavy equipment and less water pollution from site run -off; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the local system, the state highway system needs an
additional $5.7 billion annually to address the state's deferred maintenance; and
WHEREAS, in order to bring the local system back into a cost - effective condition, at
least $7.3 billion annually in new money going directly to cities and counties.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council of the City of
Petaluma strongly urges the Governor and Legislature to identity a sufficient and stable funding
source for local street and road and state highway maintenance and rehabilitation to ensure the
safe and efficient mobility of the traveling public and the economic vitality of California.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Petaluma strongly urges the Governor
and Legislature to adopt the following priorities for funding California's streets and roads.
Resolution No. 2015 -124 N.C.S. Page 2
Make a significant investment in transportation infrastructure. Any package
should seek to raise at least $6 billion annually and should remain in place for at least
10 years or until an alternative method of funding our transportation system is agreed
upon.
2. Focus on maintaining and rehabilitating the current system. Repairing
California's streets and highways involves much more than fixing potholes. It
requires major road pavement overlays, fixing unsafe bridges, providing safe access
for bicyclists and pedestrians, replacing storm water culverts, as well as operational
improvements that necessitate the construction of auxiliary lanes to relieve traffic
congestion choke points and fixing design deficiencies that have created unsafe
merging and other traffic hazards. Efforts to supply funding for transit in addition to
funding for roads should also focus on fixing the system first.
3. Equal split between state and local projects. We support sharing revenue for
roadway maintenance equally (50150) between the state and cities and counties, given
the equally - pressing funding needs of both systems, as well as the longstanding
historical precedent for collecting transportation user fees through a centralized
system and sharing the revenues across the entire network through direct subventions.
Ensuring that funding to local governments is provided directly, without
intermediaries, will accelerate project delivery and ensure maximum accountability.
4. Raise revenues across a broad range of options. Research by the California
Alliance for Jobs and Transportation California shows that voters strongly support
increased funding for transportation improvements. They are much more open to a
package that spreads potential tax or fee increases across a broad range of options,
including fuel taxes, license fees, and registration fees, rather than just one source.
Additionally, any package should move California toward an all -users pay structure,
in which everyone who benefits from the system contributes to maintaining it — from
traditional gasoline - fueled vehicles, to new hybrids or electric vehicles, to
commercial vehicles.
5. Invest a portion of diesel tax and /or cap & trade revenue to high - priority goods
movement projects. While the focus of a transportation funding package should be
on maintaining and rehabilitating the existing system, California has a critical need to
upgrade the goods movement infrastructure that is essential to our economic well-
being. Establishing a framework to make appropriate investments in major goods
movement arteries can lay the groundwork for greater investments in the future that
will also improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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6. Strong accountability requirements to protect the taxpayers' investment. Voters
and taxpayers must be assured that all transportation revenues are spent responsibly.
Local governments are accustomed to employing transparent processes for selecting
road maintenance projects aided by pavement management systems, as well as
reporting on the expenditure of transportation funds through the State Controller's
Local Streets and Roads Annual Report.
7. Provide Consistent Annual Funding Levels. Under current statute, the annual gas
tax adjustment by the Board of Equalization is creating extreme fluctuations in
funding levels — a $900 million drop in this budget year alone. A transportation
funding package should contain legislation that will create more consistent revenue
projections and allow Caltrans and transportation agencies the certainty they need for
longer term planning.
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