AGC LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS The Transportation Funding Gap


Critical Need for Transportation Funding Spotlighted at AGC of California Legislative Meetings


By Carol Eaton Te critical need for new transpor-


tation funding took center stage during AGC of California’s recent spring legislative and state board meetings in Sacramento May 9-10. Over 120 AGC members, repre-


senting an array of construction firms from across California, turned out for the two days of legislative and business meetings. Tey heard addresses from some of the state’s top legislators and transportation officials and had the opportunity to visit with over a dozen state legislators and additional legis- lative staff members, state government representatives and top business and labor leaders during an AGC-hosted legislative reception. Members wrapped up the meetings


visiting their local legislators at the state capitol on May 10 to advocate high priority issues facing the construction industry. One of their primary messages: the urgent need for California’s legislature to enact a new, sustainable and ongoing source of transportation funding to ensure the state’s infrastructure needs are met both today and in the future. AGC members also shared with


the legislators the industry’s support of AB 2316 (O’Donnell), which corrects issues with lease-leaseback school construction contracts, and its strong opposition to SB 885 (Wolk), which unfairly shifts costs of design profes- sionals’ legal defense fees to public agencies, taxpayers and contractors. California State Senator Anthony


Cannella, Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes and Transportation California Executive Director Will Kempton delivered keynote addresses during the May legislative meetings. Each speaker highlighted, among other things, the critical issues surrounding


6 July/August 2016


the current lack of transportation funding in California and discussed efforts being made to address the crisis.


Sen. Cannella: Reform Must Accompany Funding


During the AGC Legislative


Program opening session on May 9, Senator Cannella (R-Ceres) empha- sized his position that any new transportation funding sources must be coupled with regulatory reform –


he is acutely aware of the crisis facing California’s infrastructure funding. However, he said there is a general lack of agreement among legislators on how those revenues should be generated and what reforms should be put in place, stalling fast enactment of a transpor- tation funding package to date. Tere are currently two separate


Senator Anthony Cannella


specifically, reform to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the principal statute regulating environmental assessment of projects in California since its passage in 1970. “I believe anything we do with


transportation needs to include reforms as well,” Cannella stated. “I want to make sure if we pass (a user fee) onto the tax payer that we’re actually building the projects.” Cannella, who serves as Vice


Chair of the Transportation and Housing Committee and Agriculture Committee in the Senate and is a civil engineer by profession, pointed out that


transportation funding proposals alive in the Senate and Assembly: SBX1-1 (Beall), which would raise $6.4 billion annually for transportation funding, and AB 1591 (Frazier), a $7 billion annual transportation funding measure. Governor Brown also has put forth his own, approximately $3.7 billion annual transportation funding proposal/ framework. Each of the measures includes differing combinations of funding measures such as gas excise tax increase (SBX1-1 and AB 1591), a price-based excise tax adjustment reset, diesel excise tax increase, vehicle registration fee increase and/or road access fee/highway user fees, among other measures. However, none of those proposed measures appears on the road to easy passage at this point, as they will need some degree of bipartisan support for the necessary two-thirds passage.


Assembly Leader Mayes Calls for Change


During the AGC of California


State Board meeting May 10, keynote speaker Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes (R-Yucca Valley) also highlighted the need for infrastructure improvements while focusing heavily on the need to improve California’s economic development to ensure the future economic vitality of the state. “Republicans believe that roads are


a core function of government, but the ruling party has diverted money from transportation funding,” Mayes said. He added that Republicans are looking


California Constructor


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24