R 4678 RESOLUTION NO. 4678
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ARROYO GRANDE URGING THE STATE 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 that 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 Arroyo Grande 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, 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
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
RESOLUTION NO. 4678
PAGE 2
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 reduced
vehicle emissions helping the State achieve its air quality and greenhouse gas
emissions reduction 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 is needed;
and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Arroyo
Grande strongly urges the Governor and Legislature to identify 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.
RESOLUTION NO. 4678
PAGE 3
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the City of Arroyo Grande City Council strongly urges the
Governor and Legislature to adopt the following priorities for funding California's streets
and roads.
1. 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 (50/50) 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.
3.5 We support an equal split between existing State revenues and new
revenue sources to be directe4d for use in this infrastructure package.
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 finding 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.
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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 emissions.
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. Constitutionally protect transportation
revenues for transportation infrastructure only. Include protections that
prohibit using transportation dollars for other purposes.
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 all Caltrans and
transportation agencies the certainty they need for longer term planning.
On motion of Council Member Guthrie, seconded by Council Member Brown, and on
the following roll call vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members Guthrie, Brown, and Mayor Hill
NOES: Council Member Harmon
ABSENT: Council Member Barneich
the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this 11th day of August, 2015.
RESOLUTION NO. %78
PAGE 5
J HILL, MAYOR
TTEST:
jiI
KELLY ET RE, CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
DIANNE THOMPSON,.riP MANAGER
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
HEATHER WHITHAM, CITY ATTORNEY
OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION
I, KELLY WETMORE, City Clerk of the City of Arroyo Grande, County of San Luis
Obispo, State of California, do hereby certify under penalty of perjury, that the attached
Resolution No. 4678 was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council
of the City of Arroyo Grande on the 11th day of August, 2015.
WITNESS my hand and the Seal of the City of Arroyo Grande affixed this 12th day of
August, 2015.
KELLY ETM 0 R , CITY CLERK
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