GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Nix Prop Six!


Ballot Measure Puts Vital Transportation Infrastructure Funding in Jeopardy


By Felipe Fuentes, AGC Legislative Advocate T


here’s one simple message that AGC and a broad coalition of business and construction industry


groups want to deliver to the California voting public before the November election: vote NO on Prop 6. Te proponents of the repeal of


Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) qualified their initiative, and it will be placed before voters on the November General Election ballot as Proposition 6 (Prop 6). Te ballot initiative “Repeal the Gas Car Tax” signature drive has been led by Carl DeMaio – a one-term City of San Diego councilman, perennial political candidate, and radio political shock jock. Te great majority of the funding


for the signature drive was by Repub- lican forces, with major contributions by: John Cox for Governor, the California Republican Party, New Majority California PAC, Making New Investments Majority Insured PAC – Federal Leadership PAC, and half a dozen Republican members of congress. While the ballot argument in


support of the repeal alleges to protect low income and middle-class families against a regressive gas tax, the coalition in support is comprised of republican candidates or sitting politicians (https://gastaxrepeal.org/ gas-tax-repeal-heroes/). Te coalition is devoid of consumer protection groups, low income advocates or any other civil society groups. Te reason is simple. Prop 6 is an unabashed effort by Republican political interests to reelect vulnerable congressional Republicans in swing districts.


6 September/October 2018 In fact, seven of the 14 California


congressional districts are held by Republicans where voters chose Clinton over Trump in the 2016 presidential election. As such, Repub- lican pundits and party operatives are pulling all the stops to keep these seats which are targeted by Democrats. Te thinking is that a measure like the “Gas Tax” repeal will give Republicans an issue to rally their voter base around and draw active support for a Republican gubernatorial candidate attempting a win in a heavily Democratic state.


Prop 69 Safeguards SB 1 Funds Caught in the crossfire of this


political battle between Republicans and Democrats is the Associated General Contractors. Additionally, the coalition (https://noprop6.com/ coalition-list/) against the repeal includes groups representing seniors, public safety, public interest, social


justice, environment, local government, business, transportation/infrastructure, and labor. Tis same coalition also helped safeguard SB 1 by success- fully passing Proposition 69 (Prop 69) in June – a state constitutional amendment that would require all new SB 1 funds be used only for transpor- tation purposes. Prop 69 passed with over 81 percent support! AGC and the coalition against


Prop 6 fought hard over the past few years to secure new funding for California’s transportation infra- structure and is doubling down against this attack. At stake is funding for more than 5,000 bridge and road safety, transportation and public transit improvement projects currently underway throughout California. Trough the course of the campaign,


Californians will learn that the repeal:  Jeopardizes public safety. Cracked, potholed roads in poor condition pose a major safety threat to California drivers. Currently, 89 percent of counties have roads that are in poor or at-risk condition and 25 percent of our bridges show significant deterioration. Tis measure will cut funding currently dedicated to fixing roads and upgrading freeways, bridges, tunnels and overpasses to make them safer.


 Stops transportation improvement projects already underway. Tis measure would eliminate funds already flowing to every community to fix potholes, make safety improvements, ease traffic congestion, upgrade bridges, and improve public transportation.


Continued on page 8 California Constructor


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