Sacramento Transportation Authority Votes to Pursue Putting Half-Cent Transportation Sales Tax on November 2016 Ballot
April 29, 2016, SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday, the Sacramento Transportation Authority (STA) voted to pursue putting a half-cent transportation sales tax on the November 2016 ballot. This decision is the result of a multi-year process that involved input from city and county engineers, planning staff and members of the community. Three years ago, STA began creating a vision for future transportation infrastructure investments that would be supported by a supplemental sales tax. The Transportation Expenditure Plan (TEP) approved yesterday reflects that vision and provides funding for all modes of transportation. The TEP includes:
- 70% of revenue allocated to local roads and transit capital, operations and maintenance and two major regional highway traffic relief projects
- 30% of revenue allocated to Regional Transit operations and maintenance, Light Rail extension, Paratrasit services, and the Elk Grove SMART Corridors project which compliments the Light Rail Blue Line connection to Elk Grove.
- 75% of funding over the first five years for the local roadway and transit capital, operations and maintenance program as well as projects under the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Regional Transit District will be reserved for “Fix it First” projects.
- Strict accountability measures including performance indicators to ensure that “Fix it First” investments are being prioritized.
“Investing in road repair and “fix it first” projects is critical, especially as federal and state funding has become more limited,” said Kerri Howell, Folsom City Councilmember and Chair of STA. “At the same time, we also need to ensure that there are funds to maintain an adequate public transit system so that we can reduce congestion and give people alternate transportation options. This Transportation Expenditure Plan achieves that important balance.”
Before the STA Board can adopt the sales tax ordinance and Expenditure Plan, the Expenditure Plan must be approved by the Board of Supervisors and the City Councils representing both a majority of the cities in the county and a majority of the population residing in the incorporated areas of the county. This process will occur through the spring and summer months, before the August 9 deadline for the County Board of Supervisors to put the measure on the ballot.
“Having an integrated transportation network is intimately tied to economic growth – ensuring efficient movement of goods, allowing people to get to work easily and supporting a high quality of life for residents,” said Jeff Spencer, Executive Director of STA. “The purpose of this supplemental sales tax is to both quickly address immediate road maintenance needs and plan for much need improvements to our highway and transit systems.”
“This supplemental sales tax is particularly important because Sacramento is a self-help county and we need to have a steady and sufficient source of local funding to take care of our needs today and into the future,” added Howell.
About the Sacramento Transportation Authority
The Sacramento Transportation Authority was created in 1988 when Sacramento County voters approved the initial Measure A half-cent sales tax for roadway and transit improvements. The STA’s primary role is to administer the Measure A program, which has funded hundreds of transportation projects and other needs that have benefited County residents. The STA’s governing board includes 16 elected officials from Sacramento County jurisdictions. Currently the governing board includes all five members of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, five members of the Sacramento City Council, two members of the Elk Grove City Council, and one member each of the Citrus Heights, Folsom, Galt and Rancho Cordova City Councils.
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Contact: Lisa Yarbrough
(916) 498-7734
