32,295 / 58.5% Yes votes ...... 22,897 / 41.5% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote of this measure means:

Voting yes on this measure is a vote to amend the Municipal Code to allow construction of a new Centralized Terminal Facility or an expansion of the number of air carrier gates in existing terminal buildings up to a maximum of forty gates when both of the following conditions have been met: (a) the designated roadway projects are determined by the City Council to be within three (3) years of completion and all funding has been identified by the funding agency; and (b) the City Council identifies the funding source for a rail line connecting the Airport with the BART station in the City of Santa Clara or with the existing light rail system on North First Street.

A NO vote of this measure means:

Voting no on this measure is a vote against amending the Municipal Code, and the Airport Traffic Relief Act provisions would therefore remain as currently enacted.

The proposed measure, if approved, would amend the Municipal Code to revise certain conditions for the construction of additional terminal facilities and gates at the Airport. The City would proceed to construct certain terminal improvements to accommodate federally mandated security requirements at the Airport, after the City Council determines that the revised conditions for construction have been met.

The Municipal Code currently requires that construction of a new Terminal B or an expansion of the number of air carrier gates in the existing terminal buildings beyond the existing thirty-one gates may not proceed until both of the following conditions have been met: (a) the determination by the City Council that certain designated transportation projects are within two years of completion; and (b) the identification and approval of funding for the designated transportation projects by the funding agency. The designated transportation projects are: (a) the Route 87 Freeway project between I-280 and U.S. 101, including the Skyport Drive Interchange and including expansion of the existing Parkway between Julian Street and 101 to six (6) lanes; (b) a rail line connecting the existing light rail system with the Airport; (c) expansion of the I-880/Coleman Avenue interchange by adding a southbound lane on Coleman Avenue; and (d) improvements to increase the traffic capacity of the three Airport entrances so that the entrances to Airport Boulevard at Airport Parkway and Skyport Drive are designed and constructed to meet a level of service "D", and that the entrance at Coleman Avenue is designed and constructed to meet a level of service "E."

These provisions in the Municipal Code are commonly referred to as the "Airport Traffic Relief Act." Subsequent to the enactment of the Airport Traffic Relief Act, the City Council approved a Minor Amendment to the Airport Master Plan to substitute a Consolidated Terminal Facility for the previously planned Terminal B.

Voting yes on this measure is a vote to amend the Municipal Code to allow construction of a new Centralized Terminal Facility or an expansion of the number of air carrier gates in existing terminal buildings up to a maximum of forty gates when both of the following conditions have been met: (a) the designated roadway projects are determined by the City Council to be within three (3) years of completion and all funding has been identified by the funding agency; and (b) the City Council identifies the funding source for a rail line connecting the Airport with the BART station in the City of Santa Clara or with the existing light rail system on North First Street.

Voting no on this measure is a vote against amending the Municipal Code, and the Airport Traffic Relief Act provisions would therefore remain as currently enacted.

Richard Doyle
City Attorney, City of San Jose

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure A. If you desire a copy of the ordinance or measure, please call the Office of the City Clerk at (408) 277-4424, and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.

Modern Transit Society

People Against Airport Traffic Jams

Mayor Ron Gonzales

Press Release, Nov. 13, 2002

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

Expansion of BART to Milpitas, San Jose and Santa Clara

San Jose Airport - Route 87

click on "Community Outreach" on the left, then click on "Updates on Route 87 Construction" under "What's New" on the right.

The San Jose Mercury News

Nov. 27, 2002

The San Jose Mercury News

Mar. 2, 2003

Metro

January 16-22, 2003

Metro

February 13-19, 2003

The tragic airline hijackings on September 11, 2001, forever changed our world - and specifically changed the world of air travel.

Since then, the federal government has required major new security measures at Mineta San Jose International Airport.

We urge you to vote yes on Measure A to provide for the federally required security measures and an improved airport - WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.

The new federal Transportation Security Administration requires San Jose's airport to add screening machines to screen all checked baggage for explosives. Currently, there isn't enough room at the airport for these and other federal safety requirements.

These new federal security requirements necessitate changes in how the scheduled airport traffic improvements must be completed.

Measure A allows San Jose to continue the important airport traffic improvements, meet the federal security requirements and expand and improve the airport WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.

If Measure A passes, all of the planned traffic and transit improvements will still be done: including improving roadways leading to the airport, completing Highway 87 near the airport, and improving the Coleman/Highway 880 interchange. Additionally, an automated people mover will connect to the airport when identified funding becomes available.

If Measure A fails, we will spend tens of millions of dollars for unnecessary TEMPORARY security measures - and will have to spend up to $120 million MORE in construction costs when the airport is permanently expanded. This would be a huge waste of millions of taxpayer dollars at a time of severe government cutbacks.

Measure A will help relieve the awful traffic congestion around our airport. It will complete new federal security requirements without wasting money on temporary improvements. It will allow the airport to expand to improve customer service. And it will help stimulate our economy.

Measure A will do all these things WITHOUT RAISING TAXES. PLEASE VOTE YES.

Ron Gonzales
Mayor

Mike Honda
Congressman

Don DeMers
President, San Jose Police Officers' Association

Susan Hammer
Former Mayor

THE NEW LAW THE CITY WANTS YOU TO APPROVE ISN'T SHOWN ANYWHERE IN THIS PAMPHLET. Why? Because this new measure

• Allows road improvement delays.
• Drops the airport light rail connection.
• Costs residents millions.
• DOESN'T change airport safety law.

City government wants to weaken the Airport Traffic Relief Act -- which requires building three crucial road projects AND a light rail connection along with airport expansion.

Does this new law improve airport safety? NO!

• Current law ALREADY says: "... ANY PROJECT INTENDED TO IMPROVE
AIRPORT SAFETY MAY PROCEED IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT THE REQUIRED TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS."
• This measure KEEPS the same language.

Does this new law require timely completion of road projects? NO!

• The new law allows work on Highway 87, Coleman/880, and airport entrances to be delayed an additional year.

Does this new law connect the airport to light rail? NO! It...

• DROPS the requirement to BUILD the connection -- ONLY 6/10th OF A MILE
LONG.
• DOESN'T require ACTUAL funding.

This new law wastes millions.

• The airport will spend $108 million over the next 3 years for TEMPORARY
security buildings in airport parking. Current law lets the airport build
PERMANENT facilities NOW. They could have started last year.
• Dropping the rail connection now means tearing up the airport and parking later
-- wasting millions and leaving a gigantic construction mess.
• This special election costs $1.7 million.

Vote "NO" on bad airport planning

• The city will spend $1.4 BILLION on airport expansion -- its biggest public works project ever -- but wants to drop the shortest light rail connection in the valley.
• City government will spend $28 million on airport PUBLIC ART, but ZERO for
PUBLIC TRANSIT.

THEY'RE HIDING THE LAW. They're prolonging traffic congestion. They're wasting time and money -- and they just don't care. VOTE "NO."

Chip Evans
President, Airport Traffic Relief Alliance

Janet Gray Hayes
Former Mayor, City of San Jose

David Pandori
Former Councilmember, City of San Jose

Leslie Moreland
Past Chair, San Jose Airport Commission

David Fadness
Past Chair, County Transportation Commission

City of San Jose Municipal Code
25.04.400 Intent.

The intent of this part is to:

A. Guarantee that the traffic and transit projects needed with the expansion of San José International Airport are undertaken in a timely manner.

B. Allow construction and expansion of a new Centralized Terminal Facility and existing airport terminals when: (i) certain designated the traffic and transit improvements specified in Section 25.04.410 below and required as a result of airport expansion are within two three (3) years of completion: and (ii) when the City Council identifies the funding source for a rail line, such as a fixed guideway transit system, connecting the airport with either the BART station in the City of Santa Clara or the existing light rail system on North First Street.

C. Allow all other airport projects to proceed immediately, including parking improvements, airport safety projects, terminal renovations, runway improvements and air cargo projects, among others.

D. Ensure that airport funds are used to pay for the needed transportation improvements to the maximum extent permitted by law, rather than the general fund of the city of San José.

(Ords. 26012, 26013.)

25.04.410 Required transportation improvements before terminal expansion.

The city may allow the construction of a new Centralized Terminal Facility Terminal B or expand the number of air carrier gates in existing terminal buildings beyond the existing thirty-one (31) gates when the following transportation projects are determined to be within two years of completion by the city council at a public meeting and all funding has been identified and approved by the funding agency.:

A. The Route 87 Freeway project between I-280 and U.S. 101, including the Skyport Drive Interchange and including expansion of the existing Parkway between Julian Street and 101 to six (6) lanes is determined to be within three (3) years of completion by the City Council at a public meeting and all funding has been identified by the funding agency.

B. The City Council, at a public meeting, formally identifies the funding source for A rail line, such as a fixed guideway transit system, connecting the existing light rail system with the airport. connecting the Airport with the BART station in the City of Santa Clara or with the existing light rail system on North First Street.

C. Expansion of the I-880/Coleman Avenue interchange by adding a southbound lane on Coleman Avenue as referenced in the 1997 Airport Environmental Impact Report is deterined to be within three (3) years of completion by the City Council at a public meeting and all funding has been identified by the funding agency.

D. Improvements to increase the traffic capacity of the three airport entrances so that the entrances to Airport Boulevard at Airport Parkway and Skyport Drive are designed and constructed to meet a level of service "D," and that the entrance at Coleman Avenue is designed and constructed to meet a level of service "E," each based on the peak hourly traffic demand as contained in projections for the 1997 Airport Master Plan are each determined to be within three (3) years of completion by the City Council at a public meeting and all funding has been identified by the funding agency.

(Ords. 26012, 26013.)

25.04.420 All other airport projects not affected.

The transportation improvements identified in Section 25.04.410 shall only affect the construction of a new airport terminal Centralized Terminal Facility or an increase in the number of air carrier gates in the existing terminals. All other projects, including, but not limited to, parking mprovements, terminal remodeling or replacement, air cargo improvements, runway improvements and expansion, a new fuel farm, and any project intended to improve airport safety may proceed immediately without the required transportation improvements.

(Ords. 26012, 26013.)

25.04.430 Transportation improvements funded by the airport.

To the extent permitted by law, airport funds shall pay for the transportation improvements identified in Section 25.04.410, rather than the general fund of the city.

(Ords. 26012, 26013.)

25.04.440 Voter approval required for any amendment.

The city council shall not amend or modify this part without first obtaining the majority approval of the voters of the city.

(Ords. 26012, 26013, 26516.)

25.04.450 Ordinance ineffective with public approval of the airport traffic relief.

Should the Airport Traffic Relief Act on the March, 2000 ballot be approved by a majority of the voters of the city, this Part 4 of Chapter 25.04 shall have no further effect and shall be null and void.

(Ords. 26012, 26013.)

[N.B. The Municipal Code can be found on the City of San José webpage at: http://www.amlegal.com/sanjose_ca/ ]