Hallelujah. That sums up our reaction to news that Santa Clara
County Supervisors rejected the sneaky idea proposed by advocates
for extending BART to San Jose to put a joint sales tax measure on
either the June primary or November general election ballot.
Hallelujah. That sums up our reaction to news that Santa Clara County Supervisors rejected the sneaky idea proposed by advocates for extending BART to San Jose to put a joint sales tax measure on either the June primary or November general election ballot.
Both Valley Transportation Authority officials and county supervisors are considering asking voters to approve sales tax measures.
The county’s proposed quarter- or half-cent sales tax measure, which needs only a simple majority for approval, would fund transportation, health care and social services. County polling shows a majority of residents would support such a sales tax measure.
The VTA, on the other hand, wants voters to approve a quarter-cent sales tax to pay for the ever-spiraling cost of extending BART from the East Bay to San Jose. Private polling on the BART tax apparently shows that it is in danger of failing to meet its two-thirds voter approval requirement. That same polling also apparently shows a joint tax measure, which needs a simple majority approval, would succeed.
So there are lots of reasons to rejoice:
- By refusing to combine the tax measures, Supervisor Don Gage and his cohorts avoid costly litigation that County Counsel Ann Ravel predicted would ensue due to tightened rules for taxes earmarked for specific projects.
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By refusing to combine tax measures, supervisors make it possible for voters to evaluate each agency’s proposal on its own merits. Many voters might support one but not the other.
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By refusing to combine tax measures, supervisors don’t unfairly share their lower approval threshold with the VTA.
It’s important that South County residents and officials not take a breather in the battles to stop the BART-to-San Jose extension. The two-thirds voter-approval threshold is difficult, but not impossible, to achieve.
We must continue to work on three fronts:
- First, our representatives on the VTA Board of Directors must drive home the crying need for South County public transportation and road projects, particularly the decades-long delayed safety improvements needed for Highway 152. Any tax proposal without that as a cornerstone should be vigorously opposed.
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Second, we must continue to challenge the BART-to-San Jose extension. Cost estimates, ridership projections, timelines and every other detail should be questioned. The histories of VTA and BART in delivering public transportation projects on time and on budget need scrutiny. Are accurate costs, ridership numbers and revenue estimates the norm? When the VTA’s sales tax ballot measure is finally crafted, vigorous questions must be raised.
Yes, let’s rejoice in winning this battle. But then, let’s get right back to working on winning the war.
