It is the first such report in six years: This week a group of over 100 well-qualified, respected professional engineers, after months of systematically analyzing
In his proposed state budget Governor
Jerry Brown called for shifting state revenue and state authority for a number
of major programs from the state to local governments. Without a doubt transportation should be at
the top of the list.
In transportation local governments
already have experienced personnel, established organizational structures and a
proven track record of delivering quality projects on time and on budget.
Specifically, over the past 27 plus years
California’s nineteen Self-Help Counties (SHCs) have done an excellent job
improving our state’s transportation system.
Time and again these county authorities have gone to their local voters
and told them that if they approve a local sales tax increase for a limited
number of years, the county will deliver a specified list of local
transportation projects within a specified time. The county authorities know that if they do
not deliver on their promises, they will lose the trust of their local voters
and will find it very difficult to pass future local sales tax measures.