Infrastructure

By David Rabbitt

Deferred maintenance is expensive and many times, when the economy falters, investments in infrastructure are stopped and it becomes a downward spiral. I have led the Board to make a record level of investment in our county road network, SMART rail and station construction, Highway 101 widening, and more.

The main revenue source for maintaining local county roads in California is the gas tax. The state gas tax hasn't been increased substantially since 1994- going on 20 years! The tax is a flat number, not a percentage of the cost of fuel so the increase in gas prices does not reflect an increase in gas sales tax. In addition, vehicles have become and continue to become more fuel efficient so gas tax is actually declining ($300 million less than its peak year).

56% of the gas tax stays at the state level to maintain the state highway system. Of the remaining 44%, one half (22%) is sent to the cities based on a per capita basis (population) and the other half or 22% goes to the counties based on a formula that is not favorable to Sonoma County. Counties receive gas tax proceeds distributed on a weighted basis of 75% register vehicles (essentially population) and 25% on maintained miles. Sonoma County at a modest 1/2 million in population and 1,383 miles of roads is extremely disadvantaged- Orange County, with 309 miles of roads, gets 12 times the dollars our county receives.

I have led the Board of Supervisors to make a record level of investments in our county road network... $80 million total over the last two fiscal years and close to $17 million in one-time funds directed at improving our roads. Where the General Fund once invested $2 million annually, we now are closer to $10 million- a five-fold increase! I led the way in directing the majority of our Waste Franchise Agreement revenues be directed to pavement preservation for the first time. This summer, we are paving nearly 40 miles of roads and last year, over 63 miles were paved.

In addition, we staffed a new crew to clear drainage culverts and roadside ditches throughout the county. Purchased a new stripping machine to improve safety and visibility and also purchased a new patching truck to efficiently leverage our resources- minimum investment, maximum return.

I am Vice Chair of the Sonoma County Transportation Authority overseeing the investments of Measure M funds throughout the county. From Novato to Windsor, the widening of Highway 101 will ultimately cost over $1 billion. Currently, about $750 million in construction is either complete or underway. The widening through Petaluma and the Narrows remains a large priority over the next four years. SCTA was instrumental in obtaining $45 million of the $53 million needed for the construction of the Petaluma River Bridge and Highway 116 bridges in Petaluma. Next summer, the San Antonio Creek Bridge and curve correction project will start construction. Work continues on Old Redwood interchange, East Washington interchange, Petaluma Boulevard South interchange as well as accommodating the future Rainier Cross Town Connector.

Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit or SMART continues to move along with trains scheduled to operate for the public in 2016. Over $450 million in construction is either underway or completed throughout the system.

Charles Schultz Sonoma County Airport safety improvement project is underway and will be able to accommodate larger jet aircraft and expand the number of cities served. Each daily flight added, pumps about $16 million into the local economy!