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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 59-15RESOLUTION NO.59-15 1=91gill IlDlet$]as0:1DyeIW&K11i1 ST" OF THE CITY OF MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA URGING THE STATE TO PROVIDE NEW SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR STATE AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE THE CITY COUNCIL City of Morro Bay, California WHEREAS, on June 16, 2015, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. called for an Extraordinary Session of the State Legislature to provide permanent and sustainable funding to maintain and repair state and local transportation infrastructure; and WHEREAS, cities and counties own and operate more than 81 percent of streets and roads in California; and WHEREAS, the City of Morro Bay (City) has participated in efforts with the California State Association of Counties, League of California Cities, and California's Regional Transportation Planning Agencies to study unmet funding needs for local roads and bridges, including sidewalks and other essential components; and WHEREAS, the resulting 2014 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment (Study), which provides critical analysis and information on the local transportation network's condition and funding needs, indicates the condition of the local transportation network is deteriorating as predicted in the initial 2008 Study; and WHEREAS, on a scale of zero (failed) to 100 (excellent), the statewide average pavement condition index (PCI) is 66, placing it in the "at risk" category where pavements will begin to deteriorate much more rapidly and require rehabilitation or rebuilding rather than more cost-effective preventative maintenance if funding is not increased; and WHEREAS, the results of the 2012 City's Pavement Management Plan showed the City's local streets have a statewide average PCI in a range from 59 to 78, with only 15 percent above 66, placing them in the "at risk" category; and WHEREAS, if funding remains at the current levels, then in 10 years, 25 percent of local streets and roads in California will be in "failed" condition; and WHEREAS, California cities and counties need an additional $1.7 Billion just to maintain a PCI of 66; and WHEREAS, models show an additional $3 Billion annual investment in the local streets and roads system is expected to improve pavement conditions statewide from an average "at risk" condition to an average "good" condition; and WHEREAS, if additional funding isn't secured now, it will cost taxpayers twice as much to fix the local system in the future, as failure to act this year will increase unmet funding needs for local transportation facilities by $11 Billion in five years and $21 Billion in ten years; and 01068.0001/266450.1 City of Morro Bay Resolution No. 59-15 Page 2 of 3 WHEREAS, in addition to the local system, the state highway system needs an additional $5.7 billion annually to address the state's deferred maintenance; and WHEREAS, in order to bring the local system back into a cost-effective condition, at least $7.3 billion is needed annually in new money going directly to cities and counties. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, as follows: SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Morro Bay hereby urges the Governor and Legislature to identify a sufficient and stable funding source for local street and state highway maintenance and rehabilitation to ensure the safe and efficient mobility of the traveling public and the economic vitality of California; and to adopt the following priorities for funding California's streets and roads: I. Make a significant investment in transportation infrastructure. Any package should seek to raise at least $6 Billion annually and should remain in place for at least 10 years or until an alternative method of funding our transportation system is agreed upon. II. Focus on maintaining and rehabilitating the current system. It requires major road pavement overlays, fixing unsafe bridges, providing safe access for bicyclists and pedestrians, replacing storm water culverts, as well as operational improvements that necessitate the construction of auxiliary lanes to relieve traffic congestion choke points and fixing design deficiencies that have created unsafe merging and other traffic hazards. Efforts to supply funding for transit in addition to funding for roads should also focus on fixing the system first. III. Equal split between state and local projects. We support sharing revenue for roadway maintenance equally (50150) between the state and cities and counties, given the equally -pressing funding needs of both systems, as well as the longstanding historical precedent for collecting transportation user fees through a centralized system and sharing the revenues across the entire network through direct subventions. Ensuring funding to local governments is provided directly, without intermediaries, will accelerate project delivery and ensure maximum accountability. IV. Raise revenues across a broad range of options. Research by the California Alliance for Jobs and Transportation California shows voters strongly support increased funding for transportation improvements. They are much more open to a package that spreads potential tax or fee increases across a broad range of options, including fuel taxes, license fees, and registration fees, rather than just one source. Additionally, any package should move California toward an all -users pay structure, in which everyone who benefits from the system contributes to maintaining it, from traditional gasoline -fueled vehicles, to new hybrids or electric vehicles, to commercial vehicles. V. Invest a portion of diesel tax and/or cap and trade revenue to high -priority goods movement projects. While the focus of a transportation funding package should be City of Morro Bay Resolution No. 59-15 Page 3 of 3 on maintaining and rehabilitating the existing system, California has a critical need to upgrade the goods movement infrastructure that is essential to our economic well- being. Establishing a framework to make appropriate investments in major goods movement arteries can lay the groundwork for greater investments in the future that will also improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. VI. Strong accountability requirements to protect the taxpayers' investment. Voters and taxpayers must be assured that all transportation revenues are spent responsibly. Local governments are accustomed to employing transparent processes for selecting road maintenance projects aided by pavement management systems, as well as reporting on the expenditure of transportation funds through the State Controller's Local Streets and Roads Annual Report. VII. Provide Consistent Annual Funding Levels. Under current statute, the annual gas tax adjustment by the Board of Equalization is creating extreme fluctuations in funding levels, including a $900 million drop in this budget year alone. A transportation funding package should contain legislation that will create more consistent revenue projections and allow Caltrans and transportation agencies the certainty they need for longer term planning. SECTION 2. The Mayor, or presiding officer, is hereby authorized to affix his signature to this Resolution signifying its adoption by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay and the City Clerk, or her duly appointed deputy, is directed to attest thereto. PASSED AND ADOPTED, by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 25t' day of August 2015, by the following vote: AYES: Irons, Headding, Johnson, Smukler NOES: None ABSENT: Makowetski ABSTAIN: None JA IE L. IRONS, Mayor ATTEST: NA SWANSON, City Clerk