HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-03-2016 Item 10, SeastrandCOUNCIL MEETING:
ITEM NO.:a t p
To: Maier, John Paul
Subject: RE: San Luis Obispo/CCTA Opposition to the Self -Help County Tax Proposal
AC —Item 10
From: Marx, Jan
MIAY 4 2 2016
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2016 11:08 AM
To: Maier, John Paul
Subject: FW: San Luis Obispo/CCTA Opposition to the Self -Help County Tax Proposal
Agenda correspondence
From:
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2016 10:53 AM
To: Marx, Jan; Carpenter, Dan; Ashbaugh, John; Christianson, Carlyn; Rivoire, Dan
Cc:
Subject: San Luis Obispo/CCTA Opposition to the Self -Help County Tax Proposal
Good morning Mayor Marx and City Council Members,
Attached is the Central Coast Taxpayers Association (CCTA) Board of Directors' letter to SLOCOG re its opposition to the
Self Help County Tax Proposal. CCTA understands the City of San Luis Obispo will be considering this proposal at the
May 2 council meeting.
Respectfully,
Andrea Seastrand
Vice -President
Central Coast Taxpayers Association
Andrea Seastrand
ahseastra ndt&aol.com
CENTRAL C0AST��I'�f'c�
TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION
April 5, 2016
President Jan Howell Marx
City of San Luis Obispo, Mayor
San Luis Obispo Council of Governments
1114 Marsh Street
San Luis Obispo, California 93401
Dear President Marx,
The Central Coast Taxpayers Association (OCTA) Board of Directors has
voted to oppose the Self -Help County tax proposal.
CCTA opposes it for several reasons:
1) The Governor and Legislature have not made transportation funding a
priority. A recent report from the State Senate said 68 percent of California
roads are in poor or mediocre condition, the 44th worst record in the
nation. The report also said the cost for all of the unfunded repairs
identified by state and local officials in the coming decade is about $135
billion.
2) The Governor and Legislature continue its quest to build the California
High Speed Rail. Billions of taxpayer dollars are being wasted on this
project that could be spent on our roads. An independent study of the
project, The Califon°r is High Speed Reil Proposal: A Que Diligence Report
by the respected Reason Foundation, clearly documented that the actual
cost of the project would be closer to $100 billion and serve far fewer
riders than claimed by backers of the bullet train. The negative predictions
about High Speed Rail have not only come to pass, the project is even
worse than thought.
3) The Governor and Legislature continue to support Caltrans bloated
bureaucracy. Even though Caltrans claims they are at their lowest staffing
in recent history, they are still overstaffed by some 3,300 architects and
engineers. That means some $470 million per year is not getting to our
roads. The books for Caltrans have not been auditable and the Caltrans
Director cannot back up any of his claims with supportable documentation,
Central Coast Taxpayers Association • P.O. Box 1324 • Templeton, CA 93465
at least to the satisfaction of the Legislative Analyst's Office and the State
Auditor's Department.
4) The recent SLOCOG poll found that increasing a local 1/2 cent sales
tax would fail decisively with the voters. They do not trust that the elected
officials would spend the money properly and efficiently. Remember the
$1 million spent for oaks at $316 per acorn planted.as mitigation for
constructing the Willow Road/State Highway 101 interchange! And voters
are now asked to approve a new $25 million per year sales tax for
transportation! The voters deserve transparency and accountability for
how transportation dollars are used before they are asked to pay more in
taxes.
5) The State of California has 'stolen' our local gas tax dollars and has
unwisely spent those dollars on many failed programs such as those listed
above instead of fixing our roads!
Bring back common sense and stop the taxation glut of Sacramento. The
State has a spending priority problem, not a revenue problem!
CCTA respectfully requests SLOCOG oppose the Self -Help County tax
proposal
We further request SLOCOG send letters to the Governor, the Legislature,
as well as to the League of Cities and the California State Association of
Counties strongly requesting the State prioritize transportation funding.
Respectfully,
Jordan Cunningham
President
Central Coast Taxpayers Association
cc:
Lynn Compton, Vice -President and SLO County District 4, Supervisor
Jim Guthrie, City of Arroyo Grande, Councilmember
Tom O'Malley, City of Atascadero, Mayor
John Shoals, City of Grover Beach, Mayor
Jamie Irons, City of Morro Bay, Mayor
Fred Strong, City of Paso Robles, City Councilmember
Shelly Higginbotham, City of Pismo Beach, Mayor
Frank Mecham, SLO County District 1, Supervisor
Bruce Gibson, SLO County District 2, Supervisor
Adam Hill, SLO County District 3, Supervisor
Debbie Arnold, SLO County District 5, Supervisor