In the 1980s, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) provided Contra Costa County three separate allocations from the Transit Capital Improvement Abandoned Railroad Right-of-Way Program to acquire, study and improve the San Ramon Branch Railroad Line. These allocations totaled roughly $10.6 million as follows: a)
$2 million in December, 1982; b) $2.6 million in September, 1985; and c) $6 million in July 1986. Each of the resolutions related to these allocations included the following language, "If Contra Costa County does not identify by June 30, 1989, a specific project for constructing a busway or exclusive mass transit guideway that uses the San Ramon Branch corridor, the County shall reimburse the State."
Following extensive study and citizen input, the County determined that constructing a busway or exclusive mass transit guideway that uses the San Ramon Branch corridor was infeasible and not the highest and best interest of the Corridor. Subsequently the Corridor was developed in to an active transportation corridor which houses the Iron Horse Regional Trail which is managed by the East Bay Regional Park District.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1025 (Grayson) "Transportation: California Transportation Commission: San Ramon Branch Corridor: reimbursement" will 1) eliminate County obligations to the state associated with the aforementioned legacy grants, and 2) define changes to the County's Iron Horse Corridor Management Program Advisory Committee.
Those changes include adding a seat for the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and establishing a mechanism to consider new mobility technology proposals. From the Legislative Counsel's Bill Summary:
This bill would also require the County of Contra Costa to revise the bylaws of the Iron Horse Corridor Management Program Advisory Committee to: 1) include a seat for a Contra Costa Transportation Authority representative, 2) expand the management program elements to include a new, 7th element that considers proposals to study new and emerging mobility modes and technologies in the corridor, and 3) include a new task in the committee's work program to recommend a framework for acting on these proposals.
Eligibility for State Reimbursement
By imposing new duties on local public officials, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
The Department of Finance, in their analysis (attached) of the bill, mirror the Legislative Counsel's concerns relative to reimbursement costs:
Comments
The Iron Horse Corridor Management Program Advisory Committee is an existing advisory body to the Board of Supervisors. The Committee is supported by the Public Works Department and the members are uncompensated volunteers comprised of Corridor stakeholders.
The changes to the Committee described above do not constitute a significant increase in demand on staff time or other costs that would require seeking reimbursement from the State or identification of any other additional funding. The changes can be accommodated in existing budgets as described below.
The addition of a CCTA seat will result in a one-time cost related to requesting a nomination from CCTA. The other two changes to the Committee are related to each other, 1) consider proposals to accommodate new mobility modes and technologies in the corridor and 2) develop a system to act on the proposals. These changes can be accommodated by the Committee and staff and assumed in to normal business without significantly impacting the existing workload and budget.
Not approving this resolution may compromise the success of AB 1025 (Grayson). If AB 1025 fails to be enacted, the County will continue to be exposed to a potential $10.6 million obligation to the state associated with legacy grants received by the County in the 1980s.