Transit NewsWatch for February 19, 2010

  Transit NewsWatch |  February 19, 2010

Sacramento Regional Transit workers gird for layoffs
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Regional Transit officials will hand out layoff notices to an undisclosed number of employees today – the first layoffs in a quarter-century at the struggling bus district. General Manager Mike Wiley reconfirmed earlier estimates that up to 300 employees could be laid off between now and summer.
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Governor's Gas Tax 'Flip' Is Trouble
Metro Santa Cruz
The governor's proposal, if implemented, will have a devastating impact on the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District in the short term while undermining longer-term efforts to reduce CO2 emissions under A.B. 32. Under the governor's proposal, Santa Cruz Metro stands to lose $6.5 million annually in state and local funds, nearly 20 percent of its budget. According to Metro, the proposed cut will result in the reduction of bus service in Santa Cruz County from 39 fixed routes in full operation to four. ParaCruz, which shuttles people with disabilities to health appointments, would be cut from 37 to 10 vans, potentially jeopardizing lives. Metro staffing would be reduced from 375 employees to 80 and would result in the elimination of 24-hour service on many routes and a cessation of subsidized fares for UCSC and Cabrillo College students. Residents in rural areas like Bonny Doon or Live Oak could be stranded. When workers can't get to work, our economy suffers further.
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Tax-swap folly
Riverside Press-Enterprise
The legally dubious gas tax gimmicks now proposed in Sacramento would create incoherent transportation priorities just to plug budget holes. California has had enough of budget schemes which make state finances more confusing while muddling public policy. Legislators should scrap this convoluted approach in favor of a more straightforward plan.
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Transit, the Stimulus and Jobs in California:
Three Times the Jobs at Half the Price
Switchboard
This week, the California Legislature is once again tackling multi-billion dollar budget challenges, and once again, transit is on the chopping block. At the same time, the Legislature is making moves on a jobs bill. Hopefully, they can put two-and-two together when they take a look at the numbers from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on job creation from stimulus spending in California.
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