Son of Measure D?

Every City for Itself in Congestion Relief

by Nick Welsh

With the carcass of Measure D — the countywide congestion relief
measure — still smoldering in the ashes of last week’s crushing
election defeat, some South Coast politicos are actively trying to
figure out some substitute funding scheme to finance road repair
and alternative transit projects. For example, Santa Barbara City
Councilmember Helene Schneider is already floating the idea of
putting a quarter-cent sales tax hike on the ballot under the
auspices of the Metropolitan Transit District — but just on the
South Coast, not countywide as Measure D had been. The proceeds,
she suggested, could be used to fund increased and improved mass
transit, bike lanes, and perhaps even some commuter rail. The
immediate appeal of Schneider’s suggestion is that money raised on
the South Coast could be used according to the wishes and whims of
South Coast voters — who proved far more supportive of Measure
D — and not depend upon the acquiescence of North County voters. “I
don’t know how much money this will raise and if it’s even enough,”
Schneider said, “but I know we have to do something.”

The reason something has to be done is that every city in the
county — as well as the county itself — will feel an acute pinch
when the existing Measure D expires in 2010. Since it went into
effect in 1986, Measure D has allowed public works chiefs
throughout the county to sleep easy at night, knowing they had a
pot of gold — based on a half-cent sales tax surcharge — from which
to draw for necessary road repair projects. But with the failure of
Measure D2006 — which would have extended Measure D for another 30
years and increased the sales tax surcharge by a
quarter-cent — they will soon be confronting a funding crisis of
immense proportions. The County of Santa Barbara relies on the
existing Measure D for roughly half its road repair budget; the
City of Santa Barbara, for about one-third. The new, expanded, and
just defeated Measure D — which would have raised $1.6 billion
during the next 30 years — promised not merely to maintain the
roads, but to set aside significant amounts for freeway widening,
commuter rail, and mass transit.