Sacramento Transportation Authority to discuss possible allocations should 'Measure A' go on ballot, approved



At their monthly meeting on Thursday, December 12, the Sacramento Transporation will discuss an expenditure plan should the multi-jurisdictional seek to place the so-called Measure A tax increase on next year's countywide ballot.

The STA board, which is made of 16 elected officials from Sacramento county governmental agencies, which includes Elk Grove Council Member Darren Suen and Vice Mayor Pat Hume, is considering placing the measure on the 2020 November ballot. If approved by a majority of two-thirds of voters, the measure will increase sales taxes in Sacramento County by one-half of a percent.

In 2016 The Sacramento Transportation Authority – the STA - placed a one-half percent sales tax measure on the Sacramento county ballot to fund a variety of transportation projects. Voters narrowly rejected that measure. 

In this recent round, the STA is being lobbied by a group led by former Sacramento County Supervisor and California Assemblymember Roger Dickinson, who co-founded a group called SMART -  Sacramento Metro Advocates for Rail and Transit.

SMART is advocating for increased spending on things such as mass transit, and repair of existing road and transportation infrastructure. Following STA's 2016 defeat, that measure was criticized by others for placing too much emphasis on projects that benefited special interests groups like real estate developers at the expense of items like transit improvements and addressing air quality.   

If the measure were to pass, it would provide about $8.17 billion countywide over 40 years. For Elk Grove, the draft expenditures include an allocation of $40 million for the proposed Whitelock Pkwy-Hwy. 99 interchange based on a one-third match from local taxpayers, $343 for road maintenance and repair, $52 million for the Kammerer Road extension, and $248 million for the Capital Southeast Connector between Elk Grove and Folsom. 

Should the STA board approve the draft expenditure, a public relations program to sell the proposed will be handled by their hired contractor,  Calkin Tapio Public Affairs. After holding public meetings and outreach to the county's municipalities, the matter will return to the STA board at their February 2020 meeting. 

Copyright by Elk Grove News © 2019. All right reserved.










Post a Comment Default Comments

Follow Us

Popular

Archives

Elk Grove News Minute






All previous Elk Grove News Minutes, interviews, and Dan Schmitt's Ya' Gotta be Schmittin' Me podcasts are now available on iTunes

Elk Grove News Podcast




item