Transcript KOCE Measure M exchange Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle & Larry Gilbert

Measure M discussion on KOCE TV

As I reported last week Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle and I were interviewed by KOCE transportation reporter Pat Haslam. Although that exchange took over 30 minutes, the edited and produced version runs for about two and a half minutes. As such many of the comments by both the Proponent and the Opponent were not aired last night or this morning.

Let me also state that KOCE is funded in part by the OCTA. This is not to say that they have any bias in their coverage on this critical issue. As you watch their programs you will see opening footage of our county transportation system.

For those who missed last nights Real Orange Program, or this mornings rebroadcast, let me provide a transcript of the exchange.

Pat opened by telling the viewers that “Measure M is the County’s half cent sales tax devoted exclusively for transportation.”

He opens the exchange by stating “supporters say it’s critical to continue expanding the County’s infrastructure to maintain our economic growth.”

Mayor Pringle follows by saying: “so now the number one call on those dollars will be to widen virtually every freeway to the widest possible width within the existing right of way–not where your taking homes and businesses–but widening immediately within that right-of-way on the 405 and the 57 and the 91 and the 5 and others.”
He follows by stating “as jobs come here we can put hands over our eyes and say–hey–we don’t want to –address economic growth–but someone else take care of it–there’s nobody else–we’re it. Or you can contemplate what cities do–one-third of Measure M goes to cities for street and road repairs.”

Pat follows by saying : “but as you might expect not everyone is crazy about the additional tax–which would collect $11.8 billion dollars over 30 years.”
Let me pause for a minute to say that both Curt and my remarks were edited. Although the text may be continuous it may appear a little choppy. I thank Pat and KOCE editors did a job cutting 30 minutes to less than three.

My response as aired.”We collect $ four billion dollars in this state for fuel taxes-which is supposed to be used for our roads. If that’s true, than the federal government get somewhere around maybe $ four and a half billion dollars–there is money that going to be available to us because Prop 1 A is going to pass–which is going to protect our fuel tax money from going into the General Fund.”

Pat than mentioned the state and federal taxes which is followed by my next comments.
“You need to have the private sector as a partner. We’re not going to be able to do this on our own. And to think that we can just keep taxing ourselves–as I say–we pay taxes to the state–we pay taxes to the federal –we’re tacking on another tax–again–aside from the people who pay to use the toll roads.
So we’re overtaxed now–and for our legislative representatives to say that –well-we’re just never going to see the money from Sacramento is a cop out.”

Note: I quoted Transportation Secretary Norman Minetta, sadly off camera, where he agreed with me, or should I say I agree with him, that we need to engage in private/public partnerships to deal with the future as it relates to transportation. I quoted from Reason Foundation reports of successful partnerships such as Toronto where they have a $2.6 billion, 67 mile road that handles 300,000 cars per day. Other partnered systems can be found in Britain, Paris, Melbourne and Stockholm. As Reason Foundation policy analyst Ted Balaker wrote “Government Solutions of the ’50s Won’t Fix Traffic Problems Today.” He’s right!
A challenge to the honorable mayor Curt Pringle or Pat Haslam. We were all there. Please feel free to add your comments to this transcript or my additional notes.
Your inputs are welcome and appreciated for our readers. Thank you.
\Larry Gilbert, Co-author Rebuttal to Measure M. www.NoMtax.com

About Larry Gilbert