STA to Hear Outreach Update; Possible Ballot Measure Seen as Crucial to Repair Elk Grove Roads
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2015/12/sta-to-hear-outreach-update-possible.html
December 2, 2015 |
At their Thursday, December 10 meeting, the Sacramento Transportation Authority (STA) board of directors will hear an update from consultants on voter outreach efforts that were recently initiated.
In August, the STA directors which include Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis and Vice Mayor Pat Hume authorized a $600,000 contract with Sacramento-based Duffy and Capitolo to gauge voter sentiment regarding a proposed half-cent sales tax increase proposal. Their initial report to the STA after winning the contract will be presented.
According to the staff report for the meeting, Duffy and Capitolo "has conferred with STA Board members
and other elected officials in Sacramento County; convened the STA Professional Advisory Group
to prepare a draft “Measure B” expenditure plan for consideration by your Board next spring; and
begun designing informative and individualized mail pieces for distribution to voters in various
Sacramento County communities early in 2016."
By state law, any sales tax increase needs a two-thirds majority of votes for approval. The last time STA floated a county-wide sales tax increase, the so-called new Measure A, was in 2004 when it was approved with a 75-percent majority.
Currently, the STA is marketing the distribution of funds which started in 2009 to Sacramento communities with their SacramentoGo outreach effort. Among other things, the STA has posted road signs throughout the county highlighting to motorists projects that were funded in part by Measure A.
Currently the STA is conducting an online survey on their site and according to the staff report, will start sending mailers early next year. The consultants are testing the waters with voters to see if another sales tax increase, dubbed Measure B, could meet the 66-percent threshold needed for approval on next November's ballot.
For Elk Grove, if Measure B was placed on the ballot and won approval, Elk Grove City Council Members and the Mayor have said it would be used to help fund routine road maintenance. Although Elk Grove has the funds to pay for the maintenance, which are estimated at $8 million annually, Mayor Davis and the city council have decided to defer it as they pursue a host of discretionary multi-million dollar projects.
Next Thursday's meeting will be held at the Sacramento County Administration Building, Board of Supervisor Chambers, 700 H St., Sacramento. The meeting starts at 1:30 p.m.
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3 comments
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$600,000 to conduct an online survey?
Why don't the highly paid staff members use SurveyMonkey and Facebook to intitiate an online survey instead?
NO NEW TAXES! The city is spending money on surveys and studies like there is no tomorrow.
Why in the world would I vote for a tax increase when the city has squandered millions of taxpayer dollars with nothing to show for them except a truck load of studies, etc. I can hardly wait until the next city council meeting to hear about some new project they've come up with...all giving each other high fives. Makes me ill just watching them....
I support more taxes so we can be like the Scandinavian countries, who all according to the U.N., enjoy a higher quality of life and standard of living than the U.S. Higher taxes is the answer.
I applaud Sacramento County and Elk Grove for being progressive and pushing higher sales taxes so we can have nice roads. I think there is a high correlation between well maintained roads and our home equity.
Just think how much money the city and county will have left over if we relieve them of the burden of having to pay for road maintenance from their normal operating budgets. With all that leftover money, we can become the sports Mecca of the United States! Just imagine how that will help our home equity!
So when the pollsters come calling, please say yes--tax me!
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