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7A INFRASTRUCTURE from page 1 ................. to .. .. to . .. .. .. . . .. . . .. .. . .. . . . . . . Page 38 Your City Wins If Voters Pass These Proposition 1 B - Highway Safety, Traffic Re- Measures. The following summarizes these duction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act measures. and why they are important for cities, of 2006. as you make your choices at the balfot on No- vember 7. For further information, also see the story on the League website: "What Cities Can Do To Help Rebuild California's Infrast~re.. Proposition 1A - Transportation Funding Protection. Legislative Constitutional Amend. ment. (Prop. 42 Refonn) This measure is not a bond. but a constitu- tional amendment designed to "fix" Proposition 42 - the 2002 ballot measures that funded transpor- tation - by oermanentfv dedicating the sales tax on gasoline to transportation purposes (with narrow exceptions). Uke the League-sponsored Prop. 1A of 2004, which protected toeal tax revenues from further state takeaways, this measure will restrict the Legislature's ability to borrow the Prop. 42 funds to the following: . The Governor must declare that the state faces a severe fiscal hardship, and the Legisla- ture must enact a statute authorizing the borrow- ing by two-thirds vote. At the same time, the Legislature must pass a biN specifying that they will repay the loan with Interest within three years. . The state can borrow the funds no more than twice in 10 years, and must repay a prior loan before borrowing. . Any Prop. 42 transportation funds that were borrowed by the state but not repaid as of July 1, 2007, must be repaid within a 10-year period (no later than June 30.2016) at payment of no less than one-tenth per year of the totaf amount owed. The measure also authorizes the Legislature to provide for the issuance of bonds by state or local agencies in accordance with the established Prop. 42 allocation methodology. The transportation bond, Proposition 1 B, contains more than $19 billion in funding to im- prove our highways, our ports, commuter rail systems, and other projects. This bond includes many programs which will help toeal communities across the state: · The bond contains $2 billion to improve local streets and roads. $1 billion of these funds will be allocated directly to cities through a per- capita formula that guarantees the smalest city 8 minimum of $400,000 to address their most critical transportation needs. · The state-Jocal partnership program will help us leverage our local transportation funds with $1 billion in state funds. · The bond can help us reduce traffic c0n- gestion on major local access roads that connect to state highways through the $4.5 billion corridor mobilrty improvement account · The $1 billion to improve Highway 99 is very important to the economies of central valley com- munities. · Transportation congestion, goods move- ment and air quality will be improved around our state's ports. · $4 billion is dedicated to improving public transit. · There is also funding for seismic repairs to local bridges, improving safety at railroad grade crossings, and other programs. We can't afford usn to make these invest- ments. Continued on Page 7 PAGE 6 . PRIORITY FOCUS November 3, 2006 . ISlue #-43 Visit the LelgUe's OffIcial Websfte-www.cacities.org