San Diego Association of Governments Executive Director Gary Gallegos, who has led the agency since 2001, announced that he will retire by the end of the calendar year. Gallegos, 57, has overseen the agency for 16 years. In 2004, Gallegos led the effort to extend TransNet, a regional half-cent sales tax for transportation; 67 percent of county voters approved the extension. That measure has been mired in controversy of late as reports surfaced that agency staff, including, presumably, Gallegos, was aware that the agency’s official estimates overstated the amount of revenue that the tax would generate. Gallegos said that he achieved many of his personal and institutional goals in the course of his tenure -- including the construction of the Mid-Coast Trolley extension and South Bay Rapid, along with planning for the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry — and noted that "The independent examination found that SANDAG did not intentionally mislead the public or the Board regarding its forecast.” “Gary Gallegos will leave us as a giant in regional planning and transportation,” said SANDAG Chair and County Supervisor Ron Roberts in a statement. “His drive and effectiveness as a transportation leader are nationally renowned, particularly when it comes to bringing investment into our community and getting creative projects started and completed.”
Report Suggests Cozy Relationship between Chiang, Affordable Housing Developers
A report by the Sacramento Bee suggests that State Treasurer and gubernatorial hopeful John Chiang gave political favors to affordable housing developers who donated to his campaign. The Bee found that developers, who collectively gave around $100,000 to Chiang’s campaign, have received millions in tax credits and bond funds over the years. In some cases, monies were dedicated to the developers within weeks after they made donations. The Bee singles out Pacific West Communities and Domus Development, the latter of which which reportedly gave $40,000 to Chiang’s campaign committees while receiving 9 percent tax breaks on three projects in the Sacramento region through the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee. In response to the allegations, a Chiang spokesperson told the Bee, "The evaluation and scoring are done by professional staff who have nothing to do with or any knowledge as to who supports my campaigns.”
Ballot Measure Could Extend Reach of Prop. 13
A proposed statewide ballot measure would adjust Proposition 13 with the intent of helping young homeowners purchase homes. The measure, sponsored by the California Association of Realtors, would allowing them to carry a portion of their existing property tax rate across county lines when they purchase a new house. According to Alex Creel, lobbyist for the Realtors, many people feel locked into their properties because of Prop. 13. Currently, homeowners over 55 in certain counties can already transfer existing property tax rates to a new home of equal or less value, but Creel’s initiative would expand the program.
Caltrans Seeks Input on SB 1 Planning Guides for $45 Million in Planning Grants
Caltrans is preparing to launch new grant funding from Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, and released for public review and comment the final drafts of the SB 1 Sustainable Communities and Adaptation Planning Grant guides. SB 1 will provide more than $270 million in planning grants for local communities over the next decade. Caltrans will provide $25 million in annual grants for local and regional planning to support the goals and best practices cited by the California Transportation Commission in its regional transportation plan guidelines. Caltrans will provide $20 million over three years to local and regional agencies to support resilient transportation infrastructure planning for areas that are potentially vulnerable to climate change. This funding will help these agencies conduct adaptation planning in a way to ensure transportation assets are resilient in the face of climate change. The formal 30-day comment period for the final draft guides will be open through Aug. 31. The draft guidelines and comment forms can be found at http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/grants.html. Two workshops will be held, in Sacramento (Sept. 1) and Los Angeles (Sept. 6).
Meetings to Discuss Cap-and-Trade Funding Guidelines
The Air Resources Board invites stakeholders to participate in a series of community meetings and a statewide webcast later this month to provide input on the draft updates to the CARB Funding Guidelines for Agencies that Administer California Climate Investments. California Climate Investments is a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities. The meetings will be held in Fresno (Aug. 22), Los Angeles (Aug. 23), Oakland (Aug. 28), and Sacramento (Aug. 31).
