Posted on May 7 at 11:19 a.m.

DarNel, Can you offer any solutions to help renew Measure D. We need some ideas to satisfy the voters in the North and the South. Reread my postings...

On Laying the Tracks

Posted on May 6 at 11:15 p.m.

Thanks GlennYago, for the discussion. I appreciate the input, it helps with decisions, these are the ideas I'm looking for. We may meet one day, perhaps we already have...

On Laying the Tracks

Posted on May 6 at 1:04 p.m.

Whether I,as a board member or not, say it, or the results of the last ballot and last weeks Santa Maria Times poll says it, it is a fact, the North is against renewing Measure D.

I've already gotten feedback that the "off the top" allocation for the 101 widening is meeting resistance. The suggestions I've heard is to renew a plain vanilla 70/30 20 year Measure D. The expenditure plan to be determined by SBCAG Board work shops after the successful passage.

On Laying the Tracks

Posted on May 6 at 8:27 a.m.

You comments justify the South County's position exactly, I wasn't looking for justification but solutions to get Measure D passed. I'm looking for ideas to find that common meeting ground. How do we get a 66 2/3 vote from both ends of the county?

I believe that commuter rail will satisfy some folks, but its the North County Voter that needs to be convinced that Measure D is a good thing, a majority of them didn't go for it last time. The more talk there is about the North-South differences the wider the chasm becomes, harping on rail isn't going to get us a Measure D the county desperately needs.

On Laying the Tracks

Posted on May 5 at 10:57 p.m.

Lets get down to specifics. The esoteric arguments about passenger and freight rail isn't going to get Measure D 2008 passed.To get Measure D renewed the voters in both ends of the county have to be satisfied their tax money is going to benefit them. South County is pushing for commuter rail and widening of 101 as well as some other forms of alternate transportation. The North County doesn't give a hoot about commuter rail and barely cares about widening 101. They're interested in improving Highways 166, 135, 246 and transit service improvements as well as keeping the rural roads in good shape.

We need ideas to get the measure passed, not finding ways to torpedo the measure because some activist groups aren't getting their alternate forms of transportation funded to their satisfaction.

As you can see from my username I'm serious about public input. SBCAG is meeting May 17 in Santa Maria, you've got 10 days to make you ideas heard. Email the SBCAG staff at www.sbcag.org

On Laying the Tracks