Alameda County Measure B, 2000: Vote NO!

These ballot arguements* are by the Modern Transit Society:


TELL HIGHWAY CONTRACTORS TO LET THE VOTERS CHOOSE!

Highway construction proponents have tacked on their highway projects to non-polluting projects including public transit. This is an attempt to get their highway projects passed by the voters. It is unfair to require voters to pay for highways if they vote for public transit. Vote NO!

This sales tax would

• use 41% of funds to subsidize automobiles and trucks
• increase auto use and vehicle miles traveled
increase pollution
encourage sprawl in nearby regions
cause the same congestion to return in as little as two years!

Auto and truck subsidies, such as this sales tax, increase vehicle use and congestion, according to studies. There is no “traffic relief” except as a temporary effect that often lasts only two years. What a waste of money!

VOTE NO ON FREEWAY EXPANSION FOR DEVELOPERS

This measure widens freeways in order to increase car commuters from San Joaquin County. These projects will put more automobiles on our roads and spew more pollution into our air. Vote NO!

TELL POLITICIANS YOU WANT TWO VOTES NEXT YEAR

Vote NO to tell the Supervisors that they need to put two ballot measures on the ballot next year:

one for public transit, bicycles, pedestrians, paratransit
another for automobiles and trucks.

Santa Clara County now has a ballot measure with no highway subsidies. Highways should only be financed by those who use them. The heavy users, like trucks, should pay more! Those who don’t own automobiles nor trucks should not pay for highways. The Supervisors could have placed one sales tax and a separate small gasoline tax, or even two separate sales taxes, on the ballot. But they didn’t! Let the voters decide what they want! Vote NO!


Here's the rebuttal arguement:

VOTE NO TO TELL POLITICIANS TO TRULY REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION!

Unlike this sales tax, there are truly effective ways to reduce traffic congestion such as “Parking Cashout” and changing Carpool Lanes to “Fare Lanes.”

“Parking Cashout” was shown by ten studies to reduce car commuting by 26% (average). The concept is simple: those who do not drive a car to work are given a pay increase equal to the value of the parking space that they don’t take up. Or an equivalent in transit passes and BART tickets. That’s only fair! Employers’ parking spaces cost thousands of dollars each. They are an unfair automobile subsidy that increases automobile use at exactly the worst times: the commute hours.

Public transit also benefits. “Parking Cashout” would greatly increase transit patronage and fare income.

“Fare Lanes” let anyone use carpool lanes, but charge them a fare per car. Already working in southern California, it’s non-stop. Use the money collected for public transit to increase its “market share.” “Fare Lanes” also provide a solution for the rare family emergency, when you can’t wait in traffic.

For more low-cost or no-cost methods and information see:
moderntransit.org/solution.html

THROWING $$$ IS NO SOLUTION FOR TRAFFIC CONGESTION

The highway construction interests behind this sales tax do not profit from substantial and lasting ways of reducing traffic congestion. The more congestion, the more $$$ they see in highway construction contracts. The Chonicle says “For the building lobby ... Measure B would mean fat building contracts.” It would be at your expense! Vote NO!


More reasons to oppose Measure B:

Existing funds from the gasoline tax are a better way to finance highways. This way, those who are heavy road users - like trucks - and long distance commuters from other counties - such as Tracy in San Joaquin County - would pay their share!

The proponents of Measure B want us residents of Alameda County to pay a sales tax to benefit these heavy usage and long distance drivers! Vote NO!


The quote from the San Francisco Chronicle is from Aug. 14, 2000, page A20.

*While the Modern Transit Society's arguement was not selected by the Registrar of Voters, who instead selected an anti-tax arguement, we want the public to know the reasons we oppose it.