Sentinel staff report–
After two years of planning and input, the Sacramento Transportation Authority on Wednesday will consider a recommendation from its top executive to pull an $8 billion transportation tax proposal from the November ballot.
The potential change in plans comes after a privately funded survey found the tax measure would fall short of passing in November, due to ongoing economic uncertainty and political unrest.
“The economy took a deep dive in the spring, and beginning in late May we experienced a significant amount of political unrest which continues as a result of unresolved social justice issues,” a staff report from STA Executive Director Will Kempton says. “Individually, these events have taken a negative toll on the overall public mood, and combined, they have contributed to an atmosphere of uncertainty today and concern for the future.”
Polling from FM3 Research found around 54% support for the tax proposal, with 41% opposed and 5% undecided. The tax measure would need two-thirds support to pass.
Kempton’s report says poll results show “the measure is not viable with the current level of support, and even with a strong program of public education and outreach to boost that support, the effort may be insufficient given the changing economic and social climate.”
The uncertain economic times also caused Citrus Heights Vice Mayor Steve Miller to switch his vote on the proposal from support to oppose, during the STA’s original decision in May to put the measure on November’s ballot.
“It could be an economic stimulus, but I think it’s going to go down in flames,” Miller said in a prior interview, referencing ongoing economic trouble related to the coronavirus. “I don’t think it’s the time.”
Miller also said he had received over 700 emails recommending a “no” vote on the tax proposal, a response he said he’d never seen in his political career.
Advocates of the tax proposal said there’s still a need to fund transportation projects, regardless of economic climate. Jeff Harris, a Sacramento City Councilman, was one of those advocates who cast a vote in May in favor of putting the measure on the ballot.
“Measure A can potentially represent a tremendous economic boost to our region… And of course our need to repair our roads and to improve public transit do not go away because of a virus,” said Harris.
See poll results and agenda packet: click here
To put the measure on the ballot, no further action from the STA is required, as the measure already received approval in May. To pull the measure from the ballot will require a two-thirds vote of the 16-member board.
If passed and approved by voters in November, the tax would be in place until 2061. The new tax measure would be in addition to an existing half-percent transportation sales tax measure, also called Measure A, which was approved in 2004.
The half-percent sales tax proposal seeks to generate a projected $8.4 billion over 40 years, with roughly 60% allocated towards road repairs and improvements, and 40% going towards transit.
The STA’s meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. on July 15 and will be closed to the public, due to concerns with COVID-19. Comments can be emailed to boardclerk@saccounty.net and will be distributed to each member and filed in the record, according to the STA’s meeting agenda.
