Politics & Government
Supes Up Road Maintenance Budget By $8 Million
Tuesday the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors added $8 million to the already allocated $7.5 million in next year's road maintenance budget.
On Tuesday, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved the allocation of an additional $8 million in next year's budget for road maintenance.
The general fund allocation ups the $7.5 million general fund revenue already included in the 2012-2013 fiscal budget for roads.
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Of the additional $8 million, $6.5 million will go toward improvement of road segments in agricultural and tourism areas seen to enhance economic growth within the county. The remaining $1.5 million will match money in areas of the county where residents will the share the cost of maintaining their roads.
The county spent an average of $19 million a year to maintain roads over the past nine fiscal years. However only $5.3 million is slated for next year's budget, according to the report.
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"There has not been enough money annually allocated for the pavement preservation program for decades and as a result 53 percent of the roads need reconstruction," Zane and Rabbitt said in their report.
“Consequently, the county has been concentrating on maintaining 197 miles of a ‘primary road network’".
Board members said the extra $8 million was the first step in a long-term solution to improve and maintain roads.
"We know we have to do a better job and we are here to solve it. This is a legacy problem," Supervisor Mark McGuire said.
"We have to chip away at the problem," Rabbitt said.
Some speakers said money allocated for retirees' pensions could instead be used to fix the county's roads.
"We need serious pension reform or there won't be any money for anything, that's what people are watching," said Michael Windsor.
Jack Atkin, president of the Sonoma County Taxpayers' Association, said the county is spending $30 million a year in excess pension costs.
He said a proposal to put a quarter-cent sales tax increase for local road maintenance on the ballot would be "very unfortunate" in light of the county's pension obligation debt.
Both Zane and McGuire said the county's pension obligations are not to blame for the county's deteriorating roads. Zane said the board is negotiating with employee unions on pension reform.
"Pensions are not the issue. There's been a dramatic decrease in gas tax and property tax revenue," McGuire said.
There are 1,382 miles of roads in unincorporated Sonoma County.
By Bay City News Service.
