More documents and info on this topic.

Primary Argument Against Ballot Measure B

DON’T BE DECEIVED! Voting NO will NOT reduce road repairs! Repairs should have a high priority, but they are already fully funded! Freeway proponents wrote “ROAD REPAIRS ... shall ... be adopted” in their ballot summary only to get votes. This measure actually forces spending state and federal discretionary transportation funds primarily on NEW FREEWAY AND HIGHWAY PROJECTS for the next 34 years! VOTE NO!

THE MONEY WOULD COME FROM PUBLIC TRANSIT! This measure won’t raise taxes, but the money spent for freeway projects has to come from somewhere! This money comes from short-changing public transit. Previously, these funds went to both transit and highways. This measure’s full text says “[these] funds shall not be used for transit projects.” This makes ALMOST ALL of these funds available ONLY for FREEWAYS AND HIGHWAYS! VOTE NO!

DON’T BE FOOLED! No project on their list will ease congestion permanently. The same interests pushed the sales tax for Freeway 85. Its construction triggered HUGE LAND DEVELOPMENTS. As a result, just two years after opening, the same congestion returned --including on parallel roads. Freeway proponents raised our taxes for TEN years, increased smog, but we got just TWO years of “traffic relief.” VOTE NO!

This measure handcuffs the next generation of elected officials until 2036. They cannot react to unexpected transportation problems. Consider that:
Sales tax has plummeted 24.3% in one year according to VTA’s most recent Revenue and Expenditure Plan.
• Transit has the shakiest funding source, a sales tax, while freeway spending was given the more stable funding.

This Measure is a power grab by the VTA Board and their supporters. Being subject to term limits, this VTA Board wants to dictate policy for future VTA Boards. VOTE NO!

See keepchoice.org

The undersigned authors of the primary argument against ballot measure __ at the election in the County of Santa Clara to be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2002, hereby state that such argument is true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief.

Signed __________________________________ Date
Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter by Rafael Reyes, Chapter Chair
lomaprieta.sierraclub.org

Signed __________________________________ Date
Modern Transit Society by Akos Szoboszlay, President
moderntransit.org

Signed __________________________________ Date
BayRail Alliance by Margaret Okuzumi, Executive Director
bayrailalliance.org

Signed __________________________________ Date
Santa Clara VTA Riders Union by Eugene Bradley, Founder
vtaridersunion.org

Signed __________________________________ Date
David Simons, Chair, VTA Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee


home page | about MTS | Cashout | HOV lanes | Bay Bridge | Solution | Allow Pedestrians! | AGT | letters | webmaster