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Issue Archive
CFTE Update
December 11, 2006 - Vol. 4, No. 13
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In this issue …
• 2007 Transit Initiatives Conference Heads to the Lone Star
State
• PA Transportation Funding and Reform Commission Calls for
Critical Improvements
• 2006 Continues the Trend of Transportation Investment at
the Ballot Box
• Communities Across the Nation Are Adopting Complete the
Streets Policies
• SMART Among Others to Discuss Going Back To Voters in 2008
2007 Transit Initiatives Conference Heads to the Lone Star
State
SAVE THE DATE!
Austin , Texas - June 10-12, 2007
Downtown Austin Marriott Courtyard
Preliminary TIC Program
PA Transportation Funding and Reform Commission Calls for
Critical Improvements
Report recommends $1.7 billion for Pennsylvania 's transportation
needs
In early November, a bipartisan Transportation Funding and Reform
Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issued a final report
offering a funding solution to pay for critical improvements to
Pennsylvania 's highways and bridges and for public transit which
provides 413 million rides a year across the state. The Commission
was formed by Governor Rendell's Executive Order 2005-1 to investigate
and make recommendations to rectify the structural imbalance between
revenue and costs of operating and maintaining public transportation
service and state-owned highways and bridges in Pennsylvania The
report entitled " Investing in Our Future: Addressing the Transportation
Funding Crisis" offered a number of recommendations including
a call to invest $760 million additional funding in targeted public
transit funding. The commission concluded that "the financial
underpinning of the commonwealth's public transit program is inadequate
and the program structure is dysfunctional. The program and revenue
streams need to be completely revamped." The state would raise
its $576 million share by raising the 1 percent realty transfer
tax by less than one percentage point; counties and municipalities
would raise their shares by imposing local sales, earned-income,
or realty-transfer taxes.
It remains unclear if and when the Governor and state lawmakers
will act on these recommendations. Transit agencies and local advocates
are urging action to be taken soon because without a public-funding
increase, the state's two largest mass transit systems, the Southeastern
Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of
Allegheny County, will have to address a combined $81 million deficit
in the first six months of 2007.
To read the Full
Report
2006 Continues the Trend of Transportation Investment at
the Ballot Box
Voters Approve Approximately 70% of Transportation Measures Nationwide
On November 7, voters approved over $40 billion in new transportation-related
investments. Voters in 13 states approved 22 of the 31 transportation
ballot measures, including 7 statewide initiatives. The November
elections continued the growing trend of securing additional transportation
funding at the ballot box and the strong voter support for these
measures.
In 2006 alone, voters in 15 states decided on 50 ballot measures.
Once again in 2006 voters in states and communities across the nation
approved new investments in vital transportation projects. For the
year, more than $43 billion for transportation projects have been
approved by the electorate. Overall this year approximately 69%
of transportation measures were approved. The track record for transportation
measures suggests that people are, contrary to conventional wisdom,
very willing to increase local taxes to improve transportation when
the benefits are clear. People want change and choices in transportation
and the ballot box results prove it.
In California , voters approved over $30 billion in transportation
investments, including an historic statewide bond initiative. All
10 county-level measures in California received a majority of the
vote, although five did not pass due to the state's unique supermajority
requirement. Other significant results include the approval of a
sales tax measures in Salt Lake and Utah Counties (UT) to more quickly
complete the popular new light rail service in the region.
In Minnesota , voters approved a constitutional amendment that
will ensure vehicle-related taxes and fees would be spent on improving
transportation. New Jersey voters approved a constitutional amendment
increasing the amount of state gas taxes dedicated to the state's
Transportation Trust Fund. Property tax measures were approved in
two Michigan communities, and Seattle (WA) approved more than $500
million for a multi-modal repair and improvement package.
For All 2006 Election
Results
Communities Across the Nation Are Adopting Complete the
Streets Policies
Voters in Honolulu and Seattle Strongly Endorse Local Complete the
Street Policies
Over the last few years there has been a growing movement to push
for policies that ensure that streets are designed and operated
to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists
and bus riders of all ages and abilities are able to safely move
along and across a complete street. Communities across the country
have been adopting these policies and recently communities are asking
voters to endorse these policies.
On November 7th, voters in Seattle and Honolulu showed their overwhelming
support for measures that include Complete the Streets policies.
Voters in Seattle passed a "Bridging the Gap" measure,
which will increase property taxes to pay for roads, transit, bridges,
and bikeways. The City Council had already passed a resolution vowing
that projects funded by the measure must help create complete streets.
In Honolulu voters approved a measure that authorized an amendment
to the city's charter, adding the sentence, "It shall be one
of the priorities of the department of transportation services to
make Honolulu a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly city." This,
along with the Mayor's planned rail system, will help the city achieve
a transportation system that links people walking or bicycling to
trains and buses and gives residents better alternatives to driving
to their destinations.
Find out more information on Complete
Streets
SMART Among Others to Discuss Going Back To Voters in 2008
Communities Take Time to Analyze the 2006 Election Results
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) placed Measure R, a quarter-cent
sales tax on the Marin and Sonoma county ballots on November 7 but
was unsuccessful. Measure R got about 65 percent of the vote, just
shy of the two-thirds majority needed for approval. Though there
is discussion of putting the Measure back on the ballot in 2008,
SMART board members decided to first form a commission to analyze
the 2006 results and to address criticisms of the proposal. A report
to the full board is expected within 90 days. The focus of the commission
will be in Marin County where 57 % of the voters voted yes as opposed
to 69% in Sonoma County .
In looking back at the campaign, some board members said there should
have been more emphasis on the 70-mile bicycle and pedestrian path
that would run parallel to the train tracks. Some said the location
of all 14 rail stations should have been pinned down before going
to voters. The board is hoping that they can make some minor changes
to the plan that will build consensus in the community and ensure
success in 2008.
Santa Barbara County is also trying to figure out the best way
to fund their Congestion Relief program that was defeated in November.
Measure D was an extension of a half cent sales tax for transportation
that is due to expire in 2010. The measure also included a quarter
cent increase. With only 54 % of the voters approving this measure,
it fell short of the supermajority requirement of 66.6%. Now County
Commissioners and the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments
will be left to analyze why Measure D lost and if it's worth trying
again in 2008.
To See of Full List of Future
Measures
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