Executive Director Steve Heminger's Report to the Commission Meeting of January 25, 2012
Plan Bay Area Workshops
Various locations, January 5-25
ABAG and MTC hosted public workshops in each of the nine Bay Area counties this month to solicit input on the alternative growth and transportation scenarios that the two agencies are considering as we head towards adoption of a preferred sustainable communities strategy this Spring. Thanks to all the commissioners who attended, participated, and in some cases helped police the discussion in these very contentious meetings. I would especially like to commend MTC public information officers Catalina Alvarado, Ellen Griffin, Georgia Lambert, Leslie Lara, and Ursula Vogler for their tireless efforts in organizing these workshops. In an era when the actions of government employees are often ridiculed and mocked (including at our workshops), these MTC staffers exemplify the best traditions of public service.
Governor’s Budget Proposal Released
Sacramento, January 5
Governor Brown’s proposed budget for FY 2012-13 forecasts a $9 billion shortfall, a sharp drop from the $27 billion deficit the Legislature faced last year. In brief, the governor proposes to close the remaining budget shortfall by seeking new revenues from the voters, on the heels of the “cuts only” approach last year. In the transportation arena, there were two major items of news: (1) Funding levels would hold relatively steady, with a slight increase forecast for the State Transit Assistance (STA) program; and (2) Governor Brown is recommending a new, consolidated, cabinet-level “Transportation Agency” that would oversee numerous departments ranging from Caltrans to the Board of Pilot Commissioners.
Federal MPO Recertification
Oakland, January 10-11
Our federal transportation partners were in the building for two days of meetings related to the quadrennial recertification of MTC as the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the San Francisco Bay Area. We expect to receive their final report in March.
Governor Defends High Speed Rail Plans
Sacramento, January 18
In a remarkably upbeat State of the State Address, Governor Brown mounted a full-throated defense of the California High Speed Rail Authority’s plans to begin construction of the system in the coming fiscal year despite mounting criticism from many quarters. The governor characterized much of that criticism as similar to the derision faced by many high-profile public works projects of the past, ranging from BART to the Suez Canal. In his words: “Critics of the high-speed rail project abound as they often do when something of this magnitude is proposed.”
Moody’s Toll Industry Outlook
New York, January 18
Moody’s Investors service – one of the three major credit rating agencies – published a fairly grim outlook on the toll industry as a whole. They cited key concerns such as the sluggish economy, rising gas prices, growing debt leverage and the growing trend in the eastern U.S. toward diversion of toll revenue for other government programs. On the brighter side, a summary of Moody’s credit ratings for individual toll authorities shows that the outlook for BATA is “stable”, only one agency in the nation has a higher credit rating than we do, and BATA has the third highest amount of outstanding debt at $7.9 billion.
Legislative Hearing on Funding Needs
Sacramento, January 24
I joined my counterparts from the other major metropolitan areas of the state in testifying before the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee on the statewide transportation system needs assessment report that we recently completed under the auspices of the California Transportation Commission. The report is intended to inform both the Congress and State Legislature as they deliberate on new transportation funding initiatives.
Map of the Month
In the map, we have color-coded the number of years since each of the 50 states last raised taxes on gasoline. On the positive, side, quite a few states managed to raise rates within the past year, although California adjustment was actually part of a revenue neutral gas tax/sales tax scrap. On a negative rate, about one-half the states have not raised their gasoline taxes in more than a decade. Also, by special request of Commissioner Haggerty, I’ve included a bonus map which represents the proposed BART system that was presented to Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco voters at the election approving construction of the system in November 1962.
MTC Operational Statistics
The monthly report on the performance of MTC’s operating programs: