State Senator Discusses Transportation Budget Cuts

"Caltrans did not provide a clear definition of what is a structurally deficient bridge. While Caltrans stated all bridges in California are safe from a total collapse, structurally deficient could mean anything from peeling paint to serious structural damage."

"For new bridges, we have to look at public-private partnerships as a way in which we fund highway projects. But that doesn't apply to existing bridges. While we do have tolling along the Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate, I don't see placing tolls on the thousands of existing bridges that we already have in California. So, we have to figure out a way to fund bridge repairs, either through bonding or an increase in the gasoline tax. Without some kind of identifiable funding stream, we're not going to be able to deal with bridges for a long time in the state."

"There are many of us who were very upset when the governor requested to take $1.1 billion from the spillover account for public transit. The Legislature agreed to go along with the governor's proposal in order to get a budget out.

Taking the money from transit is just trying to put on a band-aid and not dealing with the long-range effects."

"The environmental community, the environmental justice community, all the communities that are impacted by pollution, both in Northern California and in Southern California, have all identified SB 974 as the most important bill in this year's agenda. We're also seeing that SB 974 is a statewide solution. Pollution does not exist only near the ports but impacts an entire region. SB 974 places great emphasis on rail, trying to reduce truck traffic on freeways. You're not going to solve the problem of port pollution in Southern California without also dealing with some of the congestion, air quality, and lack of grade separation from the Inland Empire."