CALCOG PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2002

Adopted - November 27, 2001

Bold items represent actions, other text is background information.

Underlined and strike-out material reflects changes from 2001 Action Plan

CALCOG should develop a legislative proposal to increase transportation funding through legislation authorizing user fees that would fund roads and mitigation fees to address air pollution. In this manner transportation would be financed like a public utility such as local water or sewer systems. Regional user fees could be collected as part of vehicle license registration measured by vehicle miles traveled, at the pump measured by the amount and price of fuel purchased or as tolls for access to new lanes or roads as well as existing HOV lanes.

CALCOG should work with the collaborative regional initiatives to identify the goals of each region as reflected by CALCOG member agencies and by other regional leadership organizations. We should identify what the State can do to enhance our ability to achieve these goals.

CALCOG should insure that its adopted policies including its recommendations to the Speakers Commission on Regionalism be reflected in any new state legislation affecting growth including:

· Coordinated infrastructure fees, tax sharing or subsidies to reduce competition between jurisdictions.

· The state and federal processes utilizing regions for planning and selecting transportation projects, represents a model for how to allocate infrastructure funds. This process in selection of projects carefully balances local and state roles in setting local and regional priorities vs. inter-regional or statewide priorities. It should be viewed as a model to consider in developing new regional growth incentives for subjects such as open space, housing and economic development.

· Development of regional growth forecasts, including analysis of capacity to meet jobs, housing, energy, water, educational and open space priorities, an alternative growth scenario that would result in less traffic congestion, more affordable housing and better protection of open space and identification of the impediments to achieving the alternative scenario.

In any region which has adopted a regional growth forecast as part of a plan for which a Environmental Impact Report was prepared, all state agencies' programs should be required to follow those growth forecasts in their programs.

· Sufficient funding for new regional planning responsibilities.

CALCOG should facilitate discussion among all regions and the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on regional housing allocation requirements, methodology, lessons learned and suggested changes and improvements.

CALCOG should continue to work with other transportation interests to identify other opportunities to increase transportation revenues.

CALCOG should work closely with other California transportation interests to develop a unified California position on the reauthorization of ISTEA/TEA 21 in a manner that preserves the successes of ISTEA and TEA 21 for regional agencies and improves the funding for California transportation projects and programs. The joint position should emphasize goods movement either through a new formula factor or other increased funding options.

CALCOG should support efforts to increase state and federal funds for regional planning as necessary to ensure that all regional planning agencies have adequate funding to carry out their responsibilities.

CALCOG should strongly support legislation to retain the dedication of sales tax on gasoline for transportation and oppose any legislation that would seek to divert any portion of this funding or any of the general fund revenues currently funding the Governor's Transportation Improvement Program to any purposes other than transportation.

CALCOG should work with CalTrans, the League of California Cities and the State Association of Counties to address water Quality problems created by storm water road way run off in a manner less costly than current Water Quality Control Board regulations.

2002 CALCOG POLICIES AND POSITIONS

Adopted - November 27, 2001

Bold items represent actions, other text is background information.

Underlined and strike-out material reflects changes from 2001 Action Plan

I. LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE - NEED TO PROTECT, RESTORE AND EMPOWER.

A combination of voter approved ballot measures, court decisions and legislative actions have undermined the ability of local governments to effectively govern and serve the needs of constituents.

Constitutional amendments and legislative action are necessary to:

· Protect existing local government revenues from being taken by the State Legislature for other state public purposes.

· Eliminate or fund current unfunded state mandates on local governments.

· Restore local government revenues that have been taken by the Legislature in past years and stabilize local government revenues in a manner which reduces the fiscalization of land use decisions.

· Empower local governments where cities and counties have established cooperative agreements that enables them to raise revenues when supported by a majority of the voters in their area. Models such as the community charter as envisioned in the Constitution Revision Commission should continue to be explored as well as looking at other approaches to reform local governance finance mechanisms.

· Address the funding problems created by unfunded state mandates upon local governments.

· CALCOG should support state and federal action which establishes taxing equity in how retail transactions are treated by local jurisdictions and the Internet.

· CALCOG should monitor and participate in forums discussing local government finance reform to provide assistance in developing reform proposals that authorize or require local government collaboration for new allocations of taxes.

· CALCOG should oppose legislation (such as SB 402 - binding arbitration) which significantly reduces local control of local finances and services.

I. 2. REGIONAL PLANNING AND INTERAGENCY COORDINATION

A. REGIONAL GOALS

In recent years a number of private organizations (collaborative regional initiatives) have been formed to promote regional economic, environmental and social well-being in most of the major metropolitan regions within California. CALCOG should work with the collaborative regional initiatives to identify the goals of each region as reflected by CALCOG member agencies and by other regional leadership organizations.

We should identify the roles that CALCOG member regional agencies can and should take on to achieve these goals and work with all of our members and these other organizations to identify the common themes throughout the state. We should identify what the State can do to enhance our ability to achieve these goals, and what CALCOG should advocate and what it should provide to support its members and other regional organizations to promote solutions to regional problems.

Issues to consider include transportation congestion relief, maintaining the transportation systems we have, prevention of future transportation congestion through better planning, improved air quality and water quality, increased affordable housing, increased economic development opportunities in areas which have a good supply of housing but not sufficient higher paying jobs, increased housing opportunities in areas with substantial economic success but a significant shortage of affordable housing, comprehensive habitat planning that streamlines development in areas that are to be favored for development while providing greater protection for areas that should be set aside and other important regional public policy issues.

B. REGIONAL GROWTH INCENTIVES

Growth in California, as elsewhere, is based on a series of regional economies with regional market areas for jobs, transportation (especially commute patterns), housing markets, and related economic activity.

Accordingly, CALCOG should insure that the regional nature of growth be considered in the development of all policies and programs.

CALCOG should insure that its adopted policies be reflected in any new state legislation affecting growth including:

· Land use decisions should remain the exclusive province of local government. However, local decisions affect neighboring communities and there is a need for local governments to work collaboratively, regionally and interregionally to address regional issues.

· Designation and acquisition of land to provide space between growing cities or to protect significant resources. Local land use decisions should take into consideration the effects of displacing growth and the impacts on surrounding jurisdictions.

· Coordinated infrastructure fees, tax sharing or subsidies to reduce competition between jurisdictions.

· Coordination between regions regarding interregional impacts.

· Regionally significant infrastructure for transportation and other infrastructure needs is an urgent underfunded need in all areas of the state. However, the infrastructure priorities are different in different parts of the state and as new revenues are made available for infrastructure there should be mechanisms to allow for regional priority setting by local elected officials.

· Sufficient funding for new regional planning responsibilities.

CALCOG should work to implement these principles in legislation and other important state public policy forums.

CALCOG should support opportunities for its members to develop regional infrastructure priority setting that cuts across individual subjects and allows different regions to choose different types of infrastructure that reflect their priorities.

C. CITY/COUNTY/SCHOOL COORDINATION

Cities, counties and schools are starting to work together. Their three statewide organizations - the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties and the California School Boards Association - have formed a foundation to focus on coordinating local government service delivery.

While the primary focus is on coordinating city, county and school services within a single community, there is a need to provide regional coordination on a number of issues which should be developed with regional strategies such as school site selection, shared facilities and student transportation. In addition, councils of governments may serve as an information resource on demographics, use of the Internet and data, financing authority for bonds or insurance pools, bringing groups together and promoting joint efforts for infrastructure planning.

CALCOG should support efforts of member agencies to seek state or foundation support for establishment of city, county school coordination programs and to continue to maintain contact with city, county and school statewide organizations and offer our assistance in their program development.

CALCOG should support efforts to work with cities, counties, and schools to make our schools community learning centers.

CALCOG should support requirements for schools to coordinate with cities and counties in the siting of new schools.

D. WORK FORCE INVESTMENT ACT IMPLEMENTATION

In 1998, Congress passed the Work Force Investment Act (WIA). It attempts to improve the work force development system through a consolidating program streamlining and providing greater access to services for job seekers.

However, labor market planning in relationship between education and job needs on a regional basis is not provided through any current federal or state program operating within California.

Accordingly, CALCOG should support legislation allowing regional agencies to be selected for pilot programs to unify economic and work force development planning in coordination with education augmenting and supporting existing successful models.

E. AIR QUALITY FINDINGS ON WATER QUALITY PROJECTS

All projects requiring federal approval must have findings made as to the project's conformity with air quality plans. Metropolitan planning organizations which make findings on air quality transportation conformity are also required to make findings on other projects' conformity with air quality requirements. The most important of these is water quality permits and findings made on permits pursuant to Section 205 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

CALCOG should seek approval of state legislation formally providing for a process and funding for metropolitan planning organizations to carry out this function in California.

F. COASTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS

Coastal Protection Programs are carried out by the resources agencies of the California Coastal Commission and the California Coastal Conservancy. Each of these organizations works directly with individual cities and counties along the coast.

CALCOG should support efforts to involve coastal Councils of Governments in the development and implementation of coastal protection programs where coordination of several local governments is required as an intermediary to resolve issues between the state and one or more local governments or where a COG has special expertise.

G. ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITAT PLANS

In 1995 the State Legislature and Congress began the process to reform State and Federal Endangered Species Acts. CALCOG adopted a policy setting forth principles for that reform. A key proposal is to shift away from protection of individual species and instead focus upon preservation of comprehensive habitat that will result in preservation of large numbers of most species. This would eliminate the individual project, site and species review that imposes burdens on local government, private property owners, agriculture and land development activities and does not provide as much environmental protection as would be achieved through comprehensive habitat protection.

1996 State Legislation authorized a pilot program for multi-habitat species protection. CALCOG should support the funding of this program and work to ensure that it is enacted in a manner which shifts away from protection of individual species and instead focuses on preservation of comprehensive habitat that will result in preservation of the largest numbers of species.

CALCOG should work with the State Department of Fish and Game and the US Fish and Wildlife Agency to ensure that the new laws are implemented consistent with CALCOG policy.

H. REGIONAL HOUSING ALLOCATION AND AFFORDABILITY

3. TRANSPORTATION

A. SECURING VOTER APPROVAL OF TRANSPORTATION FINANCING

In 2000, SCA 3 had proposed to extend for 20 years, the half cent sales taxes for transportation which are scheduled to expire. It also would authorize a half cent sales tax in counties which don't have one. The measure was not successful this year and thus, except in Los Angeles County, all current half cent sales taxes for transportation are now scheduled to expire depriving the state of approximately half of all available funds for new transportation investments.

CALCOG and its members should work with other public and private transportation interests to encourage private interests to put forth an initiative measure to restore a majority voter authority or otherwise extend the life of existing half cent sales taxes and make half cent sales taxes possible in counties which do not yet have them.

B. LONG TERM TRANSPORTATION FUNDING

Even if we are successful in restoration of local half cent sales taxes, all it will do is preserve the existing level of transportation revenues. It will not provide the needed increase in the level of transportation spending. A recent survey of the California Taxpayers Association show that California ranked 50^th among the states in its spending on highways, roads and streets as a percentage of its personal income. CALCOG should continue to work with other transportation interests to identify other legislative opportunities to increase transportation revenues so long as such efforts do not jeopardize the chances of passage of a Constitutional Amendment to extend ½ cent sales taxes by majority vote.

CALCOG should work with others to ensure that there is enactment of adequate revenues or revenue raising authority exploring all available sources, including:

· A measure to provide for user fees in lieu of taxes.

· Increase in state gasoline tax.

· Indexing the gas tax.

· Other innovative measures to assure that vehicles which do not pay fuel taxes will pay their fair share of costs that are otherwise borne by fuel taxes.

· Publicly and privately financed toll roads.

· Congestion/value pricing.

· Tolls for single occupant vehicles to utilize HOV lanes.

· Pay at the pump to collect funds for vehicle registration fees and insurance (assure that the state and local governments receive the revenues that are due from unregistered vehicles)

· Tax credits for employer investments for ridesharing, day care, van pools and other strategies which reduce commuter transportation burdens.

· Utilization of assessment districts

· Dedication of state portion of sales tax on new autos to transportation.

In order to move goods and people to support both population and economic growth, California needs a surface transportation system with adequate capacity for our roads, trains and buses. Even if all local sales taxes are reauthorized revenues will continue to fall farther and farther behind in meeting these needs.

Between the effects of Proposition 13, Proposition 62, Proposition 218 and the State Supreme Court Guardino decision, the ability for local governments to raise revenues to meet transportation needs has been severely restricted.

Local government's ability to rely upon the state to assist in meeting transportation needs has also been significantly reduced, as the state must devote more and more of its limited resources to maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing state highway system.

These combined events create a need for the State Legislature to take action to increase revenue or establish appropriate revenue raising capacity beyond the existing sales tax measures to meet transportation needs for both state and local government.

In the absence of a legislative willingness to raise taxes, an alternative approach is to treat transportation like a public utility. The state transportation commission could set transportation fuel rates - collected like a gas tax but actually a user fee with findings that the funds must be used for the benefit of those paying the fees. Regional agencies could establish regional fees to meet regional road needs as well as transit and other services where necessary to relieve congestion on roadways to make them perform better for the benefit of those paying the user fees.

CALCOG should develop a more detailed explanation of how this proposal could work for consideration of possible legislation.

C. REAUTHORIZATION OF ISTEA/TEA 21 - TEA 3

In 1991, Congress enacted the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). This created significantly greater intermodal flexible decisionmaking by regional transportation planning officials. This legislation was continued and strengthened in TEA 21 in 1997.

In 2003, that legislation expires and thus needs to be reauthorized in 2002. Congressional discussion will begin in 2001.

D. TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER REGIONAL PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING

Recent enactment of SB 45 - Kopp (STIP Reform) and TEA 21 have solidified the primary role for regional councils of city councilmembers and county supervisors in planning for transportation and allocating both state and federal transportation funds.

However, this process is not well understood by state legislators and local elected officials and staff other than those directly involved in its enactment or implementation.

CALCOG should work to increase understanding and support for local, regional and state transportation planning and processes among state legislators and work with the League of California Cities and California State Association of Counties to increase understanding and support for this process among local elected officials and city and county staff.

CALCOG should oppose legislation which takes funds that would otherwise be allocated through the SB 45 process and earmarks it for specific purposes, thereby undermining the integrity of the transportation programming and planning process.

In light of increasing planning responsibilities such as environmental justice, CALCOG should support efforts to increase state and federal funds for regional planning as necessary to ensure that all regional transportation planning agencies have adequate funding to carry out their responsibilities.

E. PROTECTION OF DEDICATED TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FROM SALES TAX ON GASOLINE

The 2000-01 budget included a new major transportation initiative, Governor's Transportation Improvement Program. Not only does this provide funding for 160 specific priority projects but it also provides dedicated funding from the sales tax on gasoline for increased funding for the State Transportation Improvement Program, for public transit and for local streets and roads.

CALCOG should strongly support legislation to retain this dedicated funding and oppose any legislation that would seek to divert any portion of this funding or any of the general fund revenues currently funding the Governor's Transportation Improvement Program to any purposes other than transportation.

F. PROTECT PUBLIC TRANSIT SPEEDS AND CONTROL OPERATING SUBSIDIES

Regional urban transportation planning forecasts statewide show that average freeway and arterial street speeds will be decreasing over the coming decade. While CALCOG supports continued investment in local streets and roads and state highways, at best, the transportation improvements planned for the future will maintain average speeds, not improve them. In urban areas, it is vital that transit be insulated from the impact of these slower average freeway and arterial street speeds in order to encourage ridesharing and to keep transit operating subsidies at a reasonable level.

CALCOG should work to protect transit speeds and control transit operating subsidies by:

· Supporting efforts to protect and improve existing and establish new transit rights-of-way, including carpool lanes, bus guideways and commuter rail services.

· Support bus speed improvements such as peak hour bus lanes, traffic signal preferences, express services and bus stop improvements aimed at increasing bus speeds.

· Oppose encroachment upon existing busways by automobile traffic, including lowering carpool lane vehicle occupancy requirements.

· Developing other creative policy means to mitigate the impact of slower average freeway and arterial street speeds.

G. TRANSPORTATION PROJECT DELIVERY

While there are appear to be more transportation projects under construction than at any time in recent memory, there have been delays in our ability to fully appropriate and expend all state and federal transportation funds which jeopardize California's ability to continue to receive our maximum allocation of federal transportation funds and creates the impression that we have adequate state funds to meet our needs thereby jeopardizing our ability to gain support for necessary measures to increase funding.

The causes of these delays are quite varied and complex.

CALCOG should work with the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, Caltrans and the California Transportation Commission to document the causes of these delays and develop appropriate strategies to assure that funds are expended in a timely manner.

H. PLANNING FOR INTER-REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION NEEDS

After enactment of SB45 - STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program) Reform in 1997, 25% of the State Transportation Improvement Program funds are reserved for inter-regional projects, those that meet the needs of statewide significance. For the 1998 STIP decisions were made by the California Transportation Commission utilizing a set of general criteria developed by the Transportation Commission. CalTrans also developed an inter-regional project strategic plan.

Regional agencies, while having an opportunity to review and comment on these documents have not had an opportunity to work together to develop a shared vision of how inter-regional transportation needs should best be met, yet all inter-regional projects must be consistent with the affected regional transportation plan.

CALCOG should work with its members and in partnership with state transportation interests to develop principles, priorities and methods of evaluating inter-regional transportation projects to guide their selection for the 2002 STIP and for inclusion in all regional transportation plans throughout the state. These principles should address the issues of the provision of housing in one region and commuting to jobs established in another region.

I. AIR QUALITY - TRANSPORTATION CONFORMITY

A fundamental requirement of the Federal Clean Air Act is that transportation plans and projects must be found to be consistent with the State Implementation Plan for air quality. This law, also reflected in state law, is based upon the assumption that one of the major components of air quality policy is the reduction of vehicle trips. However, current efforts to reduce vehicle trips have limited impact, especially compared to technological advances in building clean air vehicles.

CALCOG strongly supports achievement of air quality goals but finds that the transportation air quality conformity requirements impose a disproportionate administrative burden upon transportation projects and decisionmaking in relationship to the air quality benefits that are achieved.

CALCOG should continue to work to identify ways to reduce the air quality modeling and planning burden upon transportation projects and plans, except where they make a substantial difference in emissions.

In addition, transportation agencies, in recognition of severe congestion which will not be abated by technological solutions to air quality, should be given greater authority to increase prices for vehicle travel, both to discourage its growth and to fund the development of alternative means of transportation, as well as receiving funding to develop stronger transportation demand management programs.

The schedule for air quality improvement plan updates and transportation plan updates should be made consistent and the air agencies and Metropolitan Planning Organizations should be utilizing the same data in the same time frames.

The Federal Clean Air Act should also recognize that the transportation funding crisis will limit the ability to implement transportation projects which reduce traffic congestion and offset air emission increases which would be generated by increases in vehicle miles traveled.

Each area should take responsibility for their own generated air emissions.

J. ZERO AND LOW EMISSION VEHICLES

California needs to utilize all of its opportunities to secure technological advances to meet air quality standards. Among the most significant sources of air pollution are vehicles of all types. CALCOG strongly supports the retention of current policies proposing low and zero emission vehicles and other efforts to reduce the emissions from all types of vehicles.

K. HIGH SPEED RAIL

The state High Speed Rail Authority may place a measure before voters to increase taxes for the establishment of a high speed rail system in the state. This single project is of such magnitude that any consideration of the need for transportation revenues, revenue raising authority, or planning for interregional projects cannot proceed without resolving whether high speed rail will proceed. If it does, decisions will need to be made as to where it goes, how its financing affects opportunities to raise revenues for other purposes, and how its establishment might impact land use patterns and other growth related issues, including other transportation needs.

CALCOG should develop a consensus among its members and affected transportation and other interests regarding High Speed Rail including:

· whether it should be established, if so, where and how, and how to fund it,

· planning for other major transportation needs until a decision on high speed rail is reached,

· its relationship to other transportation revenue needs,

· how land use patterns and related growth issues, including other transportation needs, are affected if it is established.

CALCOG should support legislation which requires that high speed rail be consistent with affected regional transportation plans.

L. TEA 21 IMPLEMENTATION

The Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21^st Century (TEA 21) successfully reauthorized ISTEA (the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991), sustaining the successful state and local government partnership embodied in ISTEA and expanding funding opportunities for transportation. Now the challenge is for successful implementation.

CALCOG should continue to work in partnership with California's appropriate other transportation interests to maintain a consensus in our approach to federal transportation issues in order to maximize the overall amount of non-guaranteed funds from TEA 21, and to maximize California opportunities to receive funds from discretionary programs.

M. WELFARE REFORM

As the State of California moves to implement Federal Welfare Reform most of the responsibilities for making the decisions affecting individuals who must move from welfare to work rest with county government. However, city land use decisions affecting economic development and council of government decisions affecting the availability of transportation for welfare recipients to travel to work will affect the success of counties in implementing welfare reform.

CALCOG should support the development of state programs and funds for councils of governments to serve as a convener of cities, counties and other local agencies engaged in job training and economic development programs to develop coordinated economic development strategies and to plan and develop transportation programs to meet welfare to work needs.

CALCOG should support the development of programs to assist in addressing any transportation problems associated with the welfare to work population. There should be maximum flexibility in these transportation funds in order to develop the most cost-effective strategy in each region.

CALCOG should also support tax credits to be provided to employer participation in rideshare, daycare, vanpool and other programs which assist in meeting the transportation needs of welfare recipients in their efforts to gain employment.

N. ENVIRONMENTAL STREAMLINING

TEA 21 includes a special authorization for some states to have a streamlined environmental process coordinating environmental impact statement review with other environmental approvals. CALCOG should work closely with CalTrans to develop a California proposal to participate in this program.

The enactment of STIP reform SB 45 (Kopp) provides increased responsibility for regional agencies to assure the timely delivery of transportation projects. The largest problem that delays transportation projects are difficulties in securing all of the environmental reviews and approvals.

CALCOG should develop ways to expedite, streamline and consolidate environmental reviews to minimize the time delays associated with environmental reviews while meeting environmental objectives.

CALCOG should support revisions to both federal and state environmental procedures to accomplish these objectives and develop a model for CALCOG member agencies to utilize.

O. LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION COORDINATION

Land use strategies can have a substantial trip reduction value for the community which implements compact, walkable, mixed-use planning policies. CALCOG should continue to support programs which document the anticipated trip reduction benefits of better land use planning which translate into reduced future transportation needs and costs. Once documented, CALCOG should support efforts by the Local Government Commission and others to prepare a guide book and conduct workshops to guide local and regional officials.

In addition, CALCOG should continue to support programs to develop community understanding and support for the implementation of pedestrian-oriented land use patterns.

P. WATER QUALITY

Recent reports have indicated that the cost in California of complying with Water Quality Control Board regulations regarding roadway storm water run off are in excess of $50 Billion for the owners and operators of highways, streets and roads - CalTrans, Cities and Counties in Los Angeles County alone.

CALCOG should work with CalTrans the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties to develop a less costly way of address roadway storm water run off water quality issues.

4. ENERGY

CALCOG should continue to work with State Agencies, the League of California Cities and the State Association of Counties to ensure that its members agencies are fully apprised and fully engaged in efforts to address the challenges in meeting the energy needs and energy conservation goals for our growing state.