Good old Caltrans. Here we are two weeks before Christmas and they bring us our Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa gift. Caltrans just recommended Orange County getting $405 million dollars from the recently approved transportation Bond Measure. Lets celebrate! According to today’s LA Times, Orange County had requested $618 million.
California voters approved proposition 1 B last month, the transportation infrastructure Bond for $19.9 billion. It appears that the first $6.1 billion will be awarded next Feb.
LA County, with roughly 10 million people, is getting $1.5 billion. In addition, Caltrans is “also endorsing $730 million to build a northbound carpool lane on the 405 freeway between the Ventura and Santa Monica freeways.” LA Times Dec 12.
The ongoing problem. When, if ever, will Orange County get a full slice of this pie that with interest charges will probably approach $40 billion by the time the Bond is paid off. And guess what folks. That’s $40 billion from this one Nov Bond that will not be available for necessary state government operations. Minor items such as public safety, education, wages, health care and pensions.
How much clout with Caltrans, if any, does our Orange County Assembly and State Senate members or OCTA have with regards to this ongoing shortfall. I would say, not much. What say you???????
I do not know if OC voters approved this bond or not, but quite often bonds for things state-wide, such as parks or veterans housing, are approved by the State’s voters but fail in OC. Then OC whines that it wants its fair share even though a majority of our voters said no. Our image in Sacramento is deplorable among the Dem’s who control the Legislature and who have for years and years, partly at least because of this schizophrenic (or perhaps bi-polar would be more accurate) pattern. We get crumbs, and are probably lucky to get that.
Maybe electing more Democrats from Orange County to the Assembly/Senate would help bring more into the OC.
Hey, you all voted to extend Prop M so why would anyone give us more road money.
Anonymous 11:23 a.m.
Proposition 1A was passed by Orange County voters 54.5% YES and 45.5 % voted NO
We also approved measures 1A and 1E and voted NO on 1C and 1D.
I would not characterize it as whining when we seek our fair share of revenues that we send north as a donor County.
Have you checked the Bay Bridge story. You know, the bridge that collapsed during the earthquake and its renovation cost overruns? That reconstruction, that will not be completed until 2013 or thereabouts is being funded in part with billions in fuel taxes, much of which originates in Orange County.
In fact the cost (since 2001) has increased from $2.6 billion to $5.1 billion dollars.
Thanks Larry. You do provide a different perspective. We are fortunate that our voters have voted to self-tax for road improvements here – even tho the announcement of the finish of the work on the 22 has been an embarrassment (premature). It is sounding like Riverside County may be gearing up to propose similar tax financing for road improvements there, including their part of the 91. Hope so. As to our other revenues making us a donor county, it’s a long story that goes back to how the Legislature tried to bail out local government when Prop. 13 passed in the late 70’s. Unfortunately no one has been able to figure out how to get OC more of the pie without it being a take-away to other parts of the State. Me thinks it is a politically unsolvable problem. As to cost increases for the Bay Bridge, I do not know the stated reasons, but I do know that in the last 2-3 years as the economy has boomed and China has consumed much of the world’s cement and re-bar that construction cost on most everything has skyrocketed – many project budgets have had to be augmented to cover these unanticipated costs. (and some projects cancelled or postponed).