HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 20-085 -Measure BRESOLUTION NO.20-085
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA
OPPOSING THE VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY'S
2016 MEASURE B 10-YEAR OUTLOOK BASE SCENARIO
WHEREAS, in 2016, the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board of Directors
placed before the voters of Santa Clara County Measure B, a one-half cent sales tax measure
operative for 30 years that would fund nine program categories, with the primary goals to provide
meaningful congestion relief throughout the County and improve road pavement conditions; and,
WHEREAS, the nine program categories included in 2016 Measure B are: Local Streets
and Roads, BART Phase II, Bicycle/Pedestrian, Caltrain Grade Separation, Caltrain Corridor
Capacity Improvements, Highway Interchanges, County Expressways, State Route 85 Corridor,
and Transit Operations; and,
WHEREAS, BART Phase II is just one of the nine programs authorized in the Measure
and is limited to a maximum of 25 percent of the total Measure B revenues; and,
WHEREAS, in November 2020, VTA administration began presenting VTA Board of
Directors' advisory committees with a proposed 2016 Measure B 10-Year Outlook Base Scenario,
covering program allocations for Fiscal Year 2022 to Fiscal Year 2032, that contain built-in
assumptions that are unacceptable to the City of Saratoga; and,
WHEREAS, the built-in assumptions are that the BART Phase II project is the highest
priority for the next ten years, providing it with first call on the Measure B revenues, and that
minimal bonding will be used to fund BART Phase II, which results in little to no Measure B
funding being available for the majority of the other Measure B programs during this 10-year
period; and,
WHEREAS, under the Base Scenario, the six program areas that are currently identified
for zero Measure B funding over the ten-year period are Local Streets and Roads, Caltrain Grade
Separation, Caltrain Corridor Capacity Improvements, Highway Interchanges, County
Expressways, and State Route 85 Corridor; and,
WHEREAS, this approach is inconsistent with the promises made to the voters in 2016
because it will not result in meaningful progress being made for all nine programs over the first
fifteen years of the measure; rather, progress will be deferred on most programs until the second
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fifteen years of the measure which violates voters' and taxpayers' trust and expectations in
approving the Measure; and,
WHEREAS, in approving Measure B, voters countywide agreed to pay an increased half
cent sales tax for thirty years, thereby instituting one of the highest sales tax rates in the Bay Area
and State, yet under the proposed 2016 Measure B 10-Year Outlook Base Scenario only a small
portion of the County will benefit and the bulk of county taxpayers will be paying increased taxes
and see few significant benefits for a ten-year period; and,
WHEREAS, eliminating and/or significantly reducing investments in the other programs
will result in worsening congestion throughout the entire County, worsening pavement conditions
throughout the entire county, increased costs due to project delays, and increased delays for long
lead-time projects; and,
- WHEREAS, front -loading BART Phase II as proposed in the 2016 Measure B 10-Year
Outlook Base Scenario programs the project to receive nearly $2 billion in tax revenues
(presumably in inflation -adjusted year of expenditure dollars), without providing similar inflation -
adjusted funding for other programs, and notwithstanding the fact that anticipated tax revenues are
down (thereby reducing the 25 percent share); and,
WHEREAS, it is imperative that the Measure B 10-Year Outlook serve the needs of the
entire county to the greatest extent possible and not be focused on a single project to the exclusion
of the other essential Measure B programs; and,
WHEREAS, the VTA Board of Directors should consider a range of options for the BART
Phase II project so other Measure B programs also receive funding during this 10-year period,
including approaches such as more aggressive bonding, borrowing other funds, and/or using other
funding sources for BART Phase Il, as well as the possibility of further phasing or slowing the
BART Phase II project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Saratoga opposes the VTA's
proposed 2016 Measure B 10-Year Outlook Base Scenario and urges the VTA Board of Directors
to reject the proposal/scenario; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Saratoga urges the VTA Board of
Directors to support a Measure B 10-Year Outlook that balances investments among all nine
Measure B programs, including avoiding or minimizing reductions in the annual formula programs
(Local Streets and Roads, Bicycle/Pedestrian, and Transit Operations) and maintaining progress
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for the capital projects in the other programs that are already under way during this 10-year period,
thereby ensuring countywide benefits as promised in the 2016 ballot measure.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City of Saratoga, State of California, on 16' day of
December 2020, by the following vote:
AYES: Mayor Yan Zhao, Vice Mayor Tina Walia, Council Members Mary -Lynne
Bernald, Kookie Fitzsimmons, Rishi Kumar
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Yan Zhao, Mayor
City of Saratoga
Attest:
b' retschneider,
City Clerk
City of Saratoga
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