R-10416RESOLUTION NO. 10416 (CCS)
(CITY COUNCIL SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
SUPPORTING THE RESEARCH, POLLING, AND FOCUS GROUP ACTVITIES,
OF THE CALIFORNIA TRANSIT ASSOCIATION IN THE PREPARATION OF A
RECOMMENDATION TO THE ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP REGARDING
THE PLACEMENT OF A TRANSIT FUNDING PROTECTION INITIATIVE
BEFORE THE VOTERS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THEIR
CONSIDERATION
WHEREAS, Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus was created to provide public
transportation to all of the citizens of Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus relies heavily on funding from
the State of California for operations funding and capital investments; and
WHEREAS, in Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009 the Governor of California and
the California State Legislature diverted approximately $3 billion combined from
transit programs and placed the funds instead into the State General Fund; and
WHEREAS, in 2006, the voters of California approved the sale of $3.6
billion in State General Obligation Bonds to support the funding of the Public
Transportation Modernization, Improvement, and Service Enhancement Account
(PTMISEA), including the purchase of alternatively fueled buses for Santa
Monica's Big Blue Bus; and
WHEREAS, the .State Legislative Analyst Office has recommended that
the State of California refrain from selling the voter-authorized bonds and
eliminate the State Transit Assistance Program, based upon their conclusion that
transit investments do not contribute to the economy of the state; and
WHEREAS, the California State Budget signed into law by the Governor
on February 20, 2009 eliminates the State Transit Assistance Program and
prohibits reconsideration of transit funding until after 2013; and
WHEREAS, the loss of the STA and PTIMSEA programs would result in
the loss of $11 billion in statewide transit investment between Fiscal Years 2009
and 2013, and
WHEREAS, the voters of the State of California have repeatedly passed
measures designed to preserve and protect transportation funds; and
WHEREAS, the California Transit Association is considering engaging in
polling and focus group. activities to determine the feasibility of developing a
transit funding protection initiative for possible placement before the voters of the
State of California; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary for the California Transit Association to have
the public support of as many of its Public Transit System member agencies as
possible prior to commencing the polling and focus group activities.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica does hereby
encourage and support the efforts of the California Transit Association to conduct
polling and focus group activities in order to determine the feasibility of submitting
a transit funding protection initiative to the voters of the State of California that
would preserve and protect funding for public transit investments.
SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica will transmit a
copy of this resolution to the California Transit Association.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution,
and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AtS TO FORM:
tSHA ,1~NES
Atto e
Adopted and approved this 14th day of July, 2009.
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Ken Genser, Mayor
I, Maria Stewart, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby certify that the
foregoing Resolution No. 10416 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of the Santa
Monica City Council held on the 14th day of July, 2009, by the following vote:
Ayes: Council members: Bloom, Davis, Holbrook
Mayor Genser, Mayor Pro Tem O'Connor
Noes: Council members: None
Abstain: Council members: None
Absent: Council members: McKeown, Shriver
ATTEST:
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Maria Stewart, Cit Clerk