HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 8518
City of Palo Alto (ID # 8518)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Inter-Governmental Legislative Affairs Meeting Date: 9/18/2017
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Summary Title: Review of letter to Caltrain Board regarding SB 797
Title: Approval of a Letter to the Caltrain Board, VTA Board, and County
Supervisors Regarding Support for SB 797 and Necessary Board Governance
Changes Allowing for Fair and Effective City Representation
From: City Manager
Lead Department: City Manager
Recommendation
Staff recommends that Council approve the draft letter from the City of Palo Alto to the
Caltrain board, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) board, and the
Santa Clara County Supervisors supporting SB 797 (Hill) and requesting governance
changes on the Caltrain and VTA boards leading to fair and effective City
representation.
Discussion
On September 5, 2017, Council discussed supporting SB 797 (Hill), a bill that, if it
becomes law would allow the various regional entities and ultimately, voters, to
increase the sales tax in 3 counties by 1/8 cent. (Item 1A). This tax increase would
become a new, stable revenue stream for Caltrain’s Modernization program, replacing
the current funding mechanism. At that meeting and after discussion, Council approved
a motion to support the bill and directed staff to return to Council with a letter to the
boards of Caltrain, VTA and the Board of Supervisors stating that our ongoing support
of SB 797 and additional funding measures for Caltrain will be dependent on timely
progress in a discussion about Caltrain governance. Today’s action is for Council to
review and approve staff’s draft letter. (ATTACHMENT A).
Timeline, Resource Impact, Policy Implications, Environmental Review (If
Applicable)
There is no resource impact associated with this action. This not a “project” under
CEQA requiring environmental review because it is an administrative governmental
activity which will not cause a direct or indirect physical change in the environment.
Attachments:
Attachment A: Final draft letter for council review
Draft – for Council review
September 19, 2017
Via email: board@caltrain.com
The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board
1250 San Carlos Ave.
San Carlos, CA 94070-1306
Re: City of Palo Alto support for SB 797 (Hill)
Members of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board:
I write today to inform your Board of the Palo Alto City Council’s support of SB 797 (Hill). As you are aware, this
bill enables the creation of a new funding stream to be used for Caltrain’s operations and capital costs by
ultimately asking voters of three Bay Area counties to increase the sales tax by 1/8 cent. This new funding would
replace the revenue currently supplied by three Bay Area transportation agencies.
If passed by voters, we understand Caltrain will receive approximately $60 to $70 million annually, revenue that
will fund, in part, corridor electrification, the addition of high performance electric trains, infrastructure
improvements, and station upgrades. Such a revenue stream may help fund needed grade separation
improvements along the corridor. We are pleased to support SB 797 as our Council’s priorities include
promoting electrification initiatives and regional transportation. Additionally, as a Bay Area City that hosts two
Caltrain stations (including the second busiest in the whole system) and is impacted daily by thousands of
freeway commuters, most in single-occupancy vehicles, we support the improvement of established regional
public transportation.
At the same time that we support improvements to the Caltrain system, our Council is rightfully concerned over
the lack of effective and fair representation for our city on the governing board for Caltrain. It is our goal to
improve this gap in Caltrain governance for the benefit of its users, and make other governance changes that
will be needed to align with modernization of the Caltrain system. And while our support for SB 797 is strong,
our concern about governance reform and fair and effective representation could temper our ongoing support if
real efforts to make needed changes do not occur in parallel with the funding approval steps outlined in SB 797.
We are counting on that time being used wisely.
Our Council noted that SB 797 does not itself create a revenue stream; rather, it allows multiple bodies and
ultimately, the voters to impose one. While we expect to continue our support of this initiative, that support
hinges on the progress of your Board and the VTA board in addressing the current governance inequities.
We look forward to the modernization of Caltrain, a secure future for this critical transit corridor, and
modernization of the governing structure for Caltrain to match and ensure those objectives. We will be sharing
this letter with VTA and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.
Yours,
H. Gregory Scharff,
Mayor, City of Palo Alto
Cc: Palo Alto City Council
Draft – for Council review
Palo Alto City Manager James Keene