HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 4814
City of Palo Alto (ID # 4814)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Inter-Governmental Legislative Affairs Meeting Date: 5/19/2014
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Summary Title: Santa Clara County Transportation Sales Tax
Title: Discussion and Recommendation on the Proposed Santa Clara County
Transportation Project Sales Tax Increase
From: City Manager
Lead Department: City Manager
Recommendation
Staff recommends that Council discuss the potential County Sales Tax for transportation
measure being promoted by the Silicon Valley leadership Group (SVLG) and provide
direction to staff on what, if any, action should be taken.
Background
For a number of years the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) has explored a
transportation tax initiative to improve and expand existing transportation infrastructure
in Santa Clara County.
On April 24, 2014 the Silicon Valley Business Journal published an article titled Poll finds
73% would support new sales tax to fund transportation projects in Silicon Valley. In
this article, SVLG CEO Carl Guardino referenced exceptionally high polling figures and
stated that due to these high results the SVLG may accelerate its push for a Santa Clara
County transportation tax initiative from a November 2016 election to a November 2014
election (which is less than six months away). Even more crucial is that little time
would be available for City and public input into the design of a measure, given the
deadline for submission of any ballot initiative is less than three months away.
According to the article, “The Leadership Group tested both a hypothetical ballot
question and more specific questions about particular types of transit improvements in
order to capture voter sentiment.”
The article went on to give a brief rundown of the findings:
73% of 600 likely Santa Clara County voters support the idea of a 30-year,
quarter cent ($0.25) sales tax increase to fund transportation improvements to
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area roads and some public rail services.
67% support phase two of a planned BART extension from San Jose's Berryessa
district to downtown San Jose and the City of Santa Clara
73% support increased Caltrain commuter rail service from Gilroy to Palo Alto
87% support street maintenance and pothole repairs in Santa Clara county's 15
cities
82% support easing congestion on all eight county expressways
88% support improved safety for walking and biking near schools
86% support increased transit service for seniors and the disabled
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail and bus systems, including a planned
bus rapid transit system, were absent from the transportation funding possibilities in
the poll. In the article, Guardino said the survey was proposed by a SVLG working
group and is by no means set in stone. Also, Guardino said that the group has not
decided whether it will undertake a 2014 campaign.
This item has been placed on the Council agenda for Council discussion, due to the
potentially accelerated timeframe for a tax Measure (2014?) and the need for a Council
position or commentary on the measure. It is expected that Council Members may
have more information than staff does at this moment, so the staff report is minimal at
this time.
Some of the issues of concern include the adequacy of funding for CalTrain in any
proposal; fair share treatment for Palo Alto and North County cities; funding for transit
and other alternative modes that benefit Palo Alto and promote and protect our local
economy and community livability; and the impact on the City’s future sales tax funding
flexibility.