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| Santa Clara VTA | Riders Union |
There was an unusually small crowd for tonight's VTA Board meeting. This is an important board meeting, as the VTA Board will vote on whether or not to increase fares and reduce service. Several members of the press are present, including a reporter from KCBS 740 AM, a reporter from KPIX Eyewitness News, and a reporter from Metro.
It is noted that Blanca Alvarado, County Supervisor and VTA Board member, was absent for tonight's meeting. Pete McHugh, another Santa Clara County Supervisor, fills her seat as the alternate. Peter Cipolla, General Manager of VTA, is in attendance.
The awards for Employee of the Month are given.
Agenda item 8 involves the VTA taking an oppose position on several bills. Margaret Okuzumi of BayRail Alliance explains the significance of these bills:
This is a really important bill that would require local transportation agencies to use a small percentage of their state transportation monies to encourage infill and "smart growth" developments. The Surface Transportation Policy Project is a main proponent of the bill, and every group in favor of "smart growth" is strongly supporting SB 1262.
VTA's main argument against the bill is a local control issue -- philosophical opposition to the state government telling regional agencies what to do with their transportation $. However, we think that since regions receive 75% of all the state transportation funding, they have to recognize that their massive investments in transportation have an impact on land use and growth patterns throughout the state. Thus it is the obligation of the regions, since they spend the vast majority of the transportation $, to also create some incentives for smart growth.
Despite testimony from Margaret and from Kim Strickland of BATLUC that VTA need to take a neutral position on these bills, the VTA Board unanimously passes the agenda item, with little public debate.
Another agenda item, approved by the VTA Board, involved certification of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the I-880/Coleman Avenue interchange project in San Jose. Two residents in the area testify that construction of a sound wall in the area will prevent customers from accessing businesses along the affected area (Newhall Street). One resident who testified ran over the 2 minutes of time alotted per speaker and nearly had to be removed from the podium by security.
And now for the item(s) of the night - agenda items 26 and 27 - VTA's proposed fare increases and service reductions. A surprising total of five (5) people speak out, urging the VTA Board to not increase fares. The first speaker noted that Peter Cipolla, VTA General Manager, needs to be dismissed, to applause from the outside audience. Another speaks of the need to end "courtesy rides" in addition to urging the VTA Board to not raise fares. Naturally, our founder, Eugene Bradley, speaks out about the need to keep fares where they are now, to avoid loss of more ridership. He also reminds the VTA Board about our group's plan to increase revenue and ridership. Two others also speak out against the fare hike proposal. This is to no avail, as the VTA Board, after little discussion, approves to raise fares effective in July. The same case was also for their service reduction proposal. Even VTA Board Chair Ron Gonzales noted that this is the fewest amount of people speak out against a fare increase proposal he has ever seen.
Oddly enough, after the VTA Board approved the fare hikes and while they were deliberating on their service reductions proposal, our founder, Eugene Bradley, got into a row with Tom Springer, Mayor of Gilroy and a VTA Board member. Our founder wrote to Mr. Springer on our proposal to increase ridership and revenue and to vote against the proposed fare hikes and service cuts. However, Mr. Springer was more concerned about having our group buy year-round eco-passes instead of addressing the real issue of lack of local sales tax revenue - the reason VTA proposed to raise fares and reduce service in the first place. After some time, Mr. Springer came to his senses and realized that the root issue that can be resolved with our plan need to be addressed.
Overall, SCVTARU, its members, supporters, and the public, will need to keep pressing our plan to the VTA Board and management. With the tab to bring BART into Santa Clara County now up $1 billion to $4.7 BILLION, and with the economy showing little signs of recovery, the VTA will need to get its hands on every penny it can, in order to prevent further service cuts.
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