Statement on First Forum for Candidates for Supervisior, 5th District

By George Delacruz

This will give you some idea of where candidate Delacruz stands on the issues, especially Transportation.

One candidate emerged from the first candidates' forum for the 5th District Supervisor's race, George Delacruz, who will fight against tax and spend government in our county. Of all the candidates who participated in a televised forum for 5th district Supervisor, George Delacruz alone emerged as the one who would fight against the tax-and-spend, business-as-usual government practices coming out of Martinez. This is one way Delacruz differs from all the other candidates running for Supervisor.

Delacruz, who is from Bay Point, pointed out that the cost of extending BART to Hillcrest would exceed $1,000,000,000 (billion) dollars. This would be over $1,000,000 (million) per new user (BART figures).

One candidate vowed to extend BART to Antioch despite the cost because, in his view, East County residents have already paid for the extension. Unfortunately, the citizens of Contra Costa County have not paid for this extension; the figures tell a different story: To extend BART to Hillcrest would mean a huge tax increase for the residents of Contra Costa County. The money remaining from the extension to Bay Point is only enough to build a BART station at Railroad Avenue.

That candidate also stated that AB 1012 monies could be used to pay for this expansion. This is disingenuous as he omitted the fact that AB 1012 money would have to be paid back in 2 years. AB 1012 provides money from the state general fund for emergency transportation repairs.

Delacruz, however, offered a substantive, realistic approach to the situation: We must purchase Light Rail right-of-way as new highway construction is undertaken and develop Heavy Rail facilities using existing rail lines and stations (Union Pacific, Southern Pacific and Sante Fe Railroad lines).

As For Highway 4, Delacruz was adamant that the Railroad Loveridge bottleneck be eliminated, noting that "this should have been taken care of 20 years ago when the cost would have been around $10,000,000." According to Delacruz, the cost is now between $160,000,000 and $200,000,000 (Cal Trans figures). Delacruz stated federal and state monies will be found to accomplished this goal.

Delacruz also stated that County leaders over the years have taken the easy way out when it comes to ignoring East County. They put dribs and drabs of money on projects that have done little or nothing to help the commute problem. Under his leadership that would change, Delacruz declared.