SB 1 - Fact Sheet
The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 - SB 1 is a long-term transportation solution that provides new revenues for road safety improvements such as filling potholes and repairing local streets, highways, and bridges. SB 1 provides transportation investments for every community. SB 1 includes strict accountability provisions to reduce waste and bureaucracy and dedicates all funds to transportation improvements. For more information on SB1 and its funding of Transportation throughout California please visit www.rebuildingca.ca.gov
The focus of the transportation funding bill is to address basic road maintenance, rehabilitation, and critical safety needs on both the State Highway system and local streets.
How much of SB 1 funding will be used to fix our roads? SB 1 invests more than $5 billion annually directly for maintenance, repair, and safety improvements on state highways, local streets and roads, bridges, tunnels and overpasses. SB 1 also provides investments in mass transit to help relieve congestion. In total, SB 1 will provide:
$1.5 billion for local streets and roads
$400 million for bridge maintenance and repairs
$300 million for goods movement and freight projects
$250 million for congested corridors and relief management
$200 million for the Local Partnership Program to match locally generated transportation funds
$100 million for the Active Transportation Program to improve safety and expand access on streets, roads and highways for bicyclists and pedestrians
$750 million for mass transit
$1.5 billion for the State Highway Operations and Protection Program
How much will SB 1 cost California families each year? The California Department of Finance calculated that the average cost to motorists is roughly $10/month. Here’s the math:
Registration: Nearly 50% of all registered vehicles in California are valued at less than $5,000. Forty percent are valued at less than $25,000. Thus, the average annual amount for vehicle registration is approximately $48.
Fuel: California’s 26 million licensed drivers consume 15.5 billion gallons per year. That is 577 gallons per driver, multiplied by 12 cents per gallon is $69.24 each.
The annual average cost per driver is: Vehicle Registration $47.85 Fuel $69.24 Total $117.09 per year OR $9.76 per month
Will any of the SB 1 funding go into the State's General Fund? No funding from SB 1 goes into the General Fund. Revenues go directly into transportation accounts and are constitutionally protected. Article XIX of the California Constitution already protects the gasoline excise tax, vehicle registration fees, and a portion of the sales tax on diesel, and dedicates them to transportation purposes. This accounts for about 60% of the revenues generated by SB 1. Prop 69, a constitutional ballot measure which will go before the voters in June 2018, extends these same constitutional protections to the remaining 40% of new revenues generated by SB 1. It’s also important to remember, all gas tax moneys that were loaned in prior decades to the General Fund will have been repaid under SB 1.
Will there be any oversight and accountability to ensure proper expenditure of SB 1 funding? SB 1 strengthens the oversight and audit process by establishing an independent Inspector General who is appointed by the Governor to oversee programs to ensure all SB 1 funds are spent as promised and to reduce bureaucracy, waste, and red tape. The Inspector General is also required to report annually to the state Legislature. Furthermore, SB 1 has significant accountability and transparency provisions designed to ensure the public has full access to information on how their tax dollars are being invested. For instance, cities and counties must publicly adopt and submit to the state a planned list of projects and year-end reporting that accounts for every single dollar of SB 1 revenue they receive.
How does SB 1 help alleviate congestion? Will SB 1 help build new road capacity? SB 1 funds can be used to build new roads and increase capacity on our roads and highways. SB 1 also invests in technology and other infrastructure that is proven to reduce congestion on the existing transportation network.
SB 1 funds will be used to restore the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The CTC previously cut and delayed $1.5 billion in projects from STIP, including new capacity projects, which are now eligible to move forward.
There is $200 million annually in SB 1 for self-help counties that can be used on new roads and capacity increasing projects.
SB 1 includes $250 million annually for congested road and highway corridors and $300 million for the trade corridor programs, which can both fund increased capacity.
Lastly, while cities and counties will primarily (initially) be using local funds on “fix it first” projects to repair roads in bad shape, local governments can use these funds for new roads and capacity enhancements, especially once their road conditions are brought up into a state of good repair.
Why did the Legislature increase taxes instead of using existing state revenues to fix our transportation system? California has a combined need of over $130 billion over the next 10 years just to bring the state highway and local street and road systems into a good and safe condition. SB 1 follows the user-pay model where everyone pays their fair share and all drivers pay a little more to fix the roads they drive on.
Have previous loans of Gas taxes to the State General Fund been paid back?
Yes, the final repayment of $706 million was paid back to Transportation programs in the 2018-19 State budget.
What sort of impacts will SB 1 have on the state’s economy? SB 1 is a job creator. The White House Council of Economic Advisors found that every $1 billion invested in transportation infrastructure supports 13,000 jobs a year. With the $5 billion annually planned from SB 1, this measure will put 65,000 people to work rebuilding California over the next decade.
Are SB 1 revenues funding CSU and UC research? How much is going for research? SB 1 directs $7 million (one-tenth of one percent of total SB 1 revenues) to CSU and UC transportation research institutions for research directly related to improving transportation technology, practices, materials, and impacts to the environment.
Are SB 1 funds being used for non-transportation purposes like boating ways and off-road transportation? A percentage of the existing gas tax revenue related to fuel sales from boats, agricultural equipment, and other off-highway vehicles (quads, dirt bikes) has always gone toward supporting infrastructure related to these economic and recreational activities. The percent of gas tax revenues collected from these sources is two percent (2%).
Will any of SB 1 revenues be used to pay back old transportation loans? No. All outstanding transportation loans are being repaid by the General Fund. In fact, the FY 2016-17 state budget already started to repay those loans. SB 1 requires all loans to be repaid by 2020.
Will SB 1 fund High-Speed Rail? No funds raised from SB 1 will be used to fund High-Speed Rail. California’s state- maintained transportation infrastructure will receive roughly half of SB 1 revenue: $26 billion. The other half will go to local roads, transit agencies and an expansion of the state’s growing network of pedestrian and cycle routes. There is no remaining balance that could be used for the high-speed rail project.
Some of the funding programs that pertain to Tuolumne County and the City of Sonora include:
Beginning November 2017 SB 1 increases per gallon fuel excise taxes, increase diesel fuel taxes, and vehicle registration fees. The California Transportation Commission (CTC) will provide a vital role in providing transparent oversight and accountability for transportation project investments. As a result of this new transportation funding, an additional 5 billion per year is available for statewide transportation purposes.
Active Transportation Program (ATP) - Augmentation – $80 million per year SB 1 provides additional funds for the existing pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure program. • The City of Sonora was recently awarded $722,000 for the Red Church Pedestrian and Circulation Improvement Project. • The TCTC is partnering with the City of Sonora and Caltrans on the Washington Street Safety Improvement Project in Downtown Sonora. TCTC will be submitting a competitive ATP grant applications in 2018 for this project.
• The TCTC is partnering with the Tuolumne County and Caltrans on the Groveland Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Improvement Project. Caltrans will be submitting a competitive ATP grant applications in 2018 for this project.
Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) - Stabilization & Additional funds SB 1 provides funding stability and additional funds for the existing State Transportation and Improvement Program which Tuolumne is allocated apportionments to our RTIP share. • Restores timely funding for the Mono Way Safety and Operational Improvement Project. • Restores timely funding for the Peaceful Oaks Off and On-Ramps Project.
• SR 49 Five Lane Widening and Complete Streets Improvements in Jamestown is the next candidate project for the RTIP.
Local Streets and Roads Program – New Program $1.5 Billion per year SB 1 provides a new funding program for local agencies such as Tuolumne County and the City of Sonora to make road maintenance and complete streets improvements.
Tuolumne County - $940,000 - 2017-2018 for: • Culvert Replacement Program • Traffic Signal and Safety • Rehab and Surface Treatment Tuolumne County‘s share increases to $5 million per year by 2027. City of Sonora - $27,702+ - 2017-2018 and increases to $88,712+ by 2027.
Solutions for Congested Corridors Program – New Program – $250 Million per year SB 1 provides a new funding program to help relieve congestion in vital corridors such as Downtown Sonora. The draft program guidelines do not allow widening of existing highway for general purpose lanes, but do provide funding for critical local connector roads. • The Greenley Road/Cabezut Road and Fir Drive Extension Project would be a good candidate project for this program.
Sustainable Communities Transportation Planning Grants - Augmentation - $25 million per year. SB 1 provides additional funds for Caltrans existing transportation planning grant program. • The TCTC received a $248,000 planning grant for the SR 49 from Jamestown to Columbia Complete Streets Congested Corridor Plan. • The TCTC applying for two grants – Countywide Active Transportation Plan and a SR 120 – Yosemite National Park Complete Streets Congested Corridor Plan.
Safety and Highway Operational Program (SHOPP) - Augmentation SB 1 provides additional funds for Caltrans existing SHOPP Program. Staff estimates State Highways in Tuolumne County could possibly see $30 million increase annually. • Caltrans District 10 is asking the TCTC for safety and operational project recommendations in Tuolumne County. • Yosemite Junction Intersection Safety Project. • Ongoing Road Maintenance-Road Rehabilitation – SR 108, SR 120, and SR 49.
State Transit Assistance (STA) – Augmentation • Additional funds available for Transit Operations, maintenance, or capital projects. ($204,000 - $408,000 annually) • Tuolumne County Transit currently receives operational funds from STA.