Sunday I read Steve Greenhut’s editorial about the renewal of Measure M. I greatly admire Steve Greenhut. But I don’t agree with his editorial.
But Steve has a different job to do than I do. Steve can sit as an observer and express his point of view. He can articulate his standard of a “perfect” Measure M renewal. But our job, that of elected officials and in fact the voters of this county, must consider if we need to improve roads, highways and transit options, and how to pay for them. Steve can share his objections to our efforts at the OCTA, but I don’t hear that he completely disagrees with the idea and the importance of renewing Measure M.
I think that is progress! But I would also like to share why this is the best plan and why voters should approve this renewal effort this November.
First off, if you are a contrarian and oppose any funding for transportation from a sales tax, then just say so. You then have two choices, either find the money somewhere else or declare to all that no significant transportation improvements need to be made in the next two or three decades.
As I am not an acolyte of Jerry Brown and Adriana Gianturco, I have decided that we do need to invest in our infrastructure. And transportation is the most significant part of those infrastructure improvements.
I, too, wish that there were other, “easier” pots of gold to fund these improvements, like state or federal dollars, but there are not, at least not to the degree that this local sales tax provides. As a matter of fact, Proposition 1B on the ballot this fall is the largest transportation bond in the history of this country, and it will only bring a few hundreds of millions to Orange County highways, as opposed to over $4.5 billion for freeways from the renewed Measure M.
$200 million towards the improvements of the 91 freeway in the bonds is a far cry from the $1.6 billion from the Measure M renewal.
I believe that continuing the existing sales tax for transportation is the right thing to do. You will have to come to that conclusion for yourself. But if you do, then you must accept that we need to get a 2/3rd vote of the Orange County electorate to do that.
And that is the task that the OCTA 2020 Committee set out to accomplish: the best and most complete Measure M renewal that could get a 2/3rds vote of OC voters.
When discussing renewing Measure M, the question is often asked, is perfect the enemy of the good?
Well, I don’t quite buy that. I might have my version of a perfect measure. But that will not be the same as the “perfect” plan offered by Steve Greenhut, Supervisor Bill Campbell, Supervisor Chris Norby or nearly anyone else. We each have a “perfect”, most desired plan. But come on, we need the best plan where 2/3rds of the Orange County voters can agree.
We need to accept the fact that in this Republican county, there are a lot of Democrats. Actually there are more Democrats than in any other county in this state, other than Los Angeles County. We need Democrat votes.
In this county there are many who have significant environmental interests. There are many voters who have significant business concerns. There are many who are members of and vote with unions. We need most of their votes too.
And we have many in this county who support transit. As a matter of fact, there are more voters in Orange County (according to a recent poll) who believe transit improvements are more important than freeway improvements to the long term transportation future for Orange County residents. And we need their votes as well.
If you accept the need for a Measure M renewal, then you need to accept that we need a broad coalition to pass this measure.
The proposed funding from the renewed Measure M will be spent this way: 43% for highway improvements, 32% to cities for streets and roads (with a majority of these dollars being given on a per capita basis) and 25% to transit (with the majority of funding going to senior bus discounts and expansion of the Metrolink system.)
This is the same formula, with just some minor tweaking, that was used under the original Measure M. The original Measure M brought about widening and improvements on every freeway in Orange County, and the renewed Measure M would do the same again.
Is it perfect? No. Is it my personal most “perfect” plan? No. But it is fair and it has a broad base of support and the opportunity to garner 2/3rds support among voters.
Every member of the OCTA 2020 committee voted for this plan. Every member of the OCTA board of directors voted for this plan. Every member of the OC Board of Supervisors voted for this plan. And when presented to every OC city council, 166 council members out of 170 council members who voted, supported this plan.
Each and every one of these officials could make a change to make this plan more “perfect” to their personal desires. But each one of these officials knows that this is not intended on being a “personal” plan, but a countywide measure to benefit every member of the county.
Nothing is perfect. But planning for the future of Orange County is necessary.