|
Back to Calendar
Return
|
| |
4.
|
| TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE |
|
|
|
| Information |
| Referral History: |
Senate Bill 595 (SB 595 - 2017) required the nine Bay Area counties to conduct a special election, known as Regional Measure 3 (RM3), on a proposed increase to toll rates on state-owned bridges in the region. The revenue from toll increases would fund transportation projects and programs, including roadway operations, transit, and goods movement, that would provide congestion relief on transportation corridors at or approaching bridges througout the Bay Area. This election took place on June 5, 2018, with voters approving a three-dollar toll increase, phased in one dollar every three years through 2025, with the first one-dollar increase effective January 1, 2019.
SB 595 also required that the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) establish an independent oversight committee (IOC), comprised of two citizen representatives from each Bay Area county, within six months of the effective date of the toll increase. The RM3 IOC would convene to ensure that any toll revenues generated pursuant to the RM3 toll increase would be expended consistent with the applicable requirements of the RM3 expenditure plan, which contains a list of eligible transportation projects and programs.
At its July 9, 2019 meeting, the Board of Supervisors referred the IOC citizen representative recruitment to TWIC, and subsequently, on August 6, 2019, the Board authorized TWIC to select two Contra Costa representatives. On August 12, 2019, TWIC interviewed seven applicants and selected Nazanin Shakerin and Kathy Chang to be appointed as the County citizen representatives to the IOC, with their terms ending August 12, 2023. On October 9, 2019, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's (MTC) BATA Oversight Committee approved the County's appointments.
Shortly after voter approval of RM3, a lawsuit was filed to halt the toll increases. Due to the legal dispute, toll revenue already collected could not be disbursed to the eligible transportation projects and programs in the RM3 expenditure plan and the RM3 IOC was never convened. The legal dispute concluded in January 2023, with the courts rulling in favor of BATA and RM3. BATA began allocating RM3 revenue to transportation projects and programs in June 2023. The RM3 IOC is expected to convene soon. |
| Referral Update: |
MTC requested that the County appoint or reappoint two representatives to the RM3 IOC for a term from July 2023 through July 2027.
The County's original, 2019 appointments have been unable to participate in IOC activities due to the aforementioned lawsuit. This fact, combined with the preference of both original appointees to continue in their role, resulted in a recommendation to reappoint both members.
The original recruitment was conducted consistent with the Maddy Act and included outreach through numerous channels, the process is described here:
http://64.166.146.245/docs/2019/BOS/20190806_1313/38937_TWIC_RM3%20recruitment_7_18_19.pdf
|
| Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): |
| RECOMMEND to the Board of Supervisors the reappointment of Nazanin Shakerin and Kathy Chang to the Regional Measure 3 Independent Oversight Commtitee for a term from August 2023 through June 2027. |
| Fiscal Impact (if any): |
| None to the County. RM3 IOC members are eligible for a $50.00 per meeting stipend (maximum of 4 meetings/year) and reimbursement of actual travel expenses as defined by BATA. The stipend and travel reimbursement are both paid for by BATA. |
|
|
|