SMART train's $8 million funding delayed

 The Transportation Authority of Marin will take another vote in the coming weeks on whether to approve $8 million for the district's passenger train and bike and pedestrian pathway between Santa Rosa and San Rafael.

The TAM's board of commissioners deadlocked 7-7 to approve the $8 million at its meeting Thursday night, TAM'S executive director Dianne Steinhauser said.

Commissioner Joan Lundstrom of Larkspur then said she changed her mind and asked for another vote at the end of the meeting.

The board agreed to do so and then voted 8-6 to approve the funding for SMART, Steinhauser said.

Because many members of the public had already left the meeting, the board then agreed to take another vote on the issue at a special meeting in the coming weeks, Steinhauser said. A date for the meeting has not been set.

The $8 million will help close a $21 million funding shortfall for the $470 million, 40-mile segment between the downtowns of both cities.

Voters in both counties approved a quarter-cent sales tax in 2008 to pay for a 70-mile, $695 million rail and pathway between Cloverdale and Larkspur, but faced with a sales tax revenue shortfall and cost overruns, SMART's board of directors voted late last year to complete the line and pathway between Santa Rosa and San Rafael by 2014.

The Sonoma County Transportation Authority has already approved its $3 million contribution toward the $21 million deficit. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission has agreed to provide $10 million if both transportation authorities contribute the rest.

TAM's $8 million contribution is larger than Sonoma County's because a larger share of the construction costs between Santa Rosa and San Rafael are in Marin County - $154 million compared to $142 million in Sonoma County.

Also, Marin County's share of the quarter-cent sales tax contribution is 37 percent compared to 63 percent in Sonoma County.

Remaining SMART costs are higher in Sonoma County and there will be more people riding the train between Marin County locations than those riding between Sonoma County locations.

TAM's agreement to contribute $8 million stipulates no funds that were specifically assigned to Marin County projects will be directed to SMART.

By Bay City News Service.