Contra Costa County voters could see transit tax on ballot

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(The Center Square) – A California bill expanding a transit tax on Contra Costa County received support in an Assembly hearing Wednesday.

Senate Bill 1408 would expand the current transit sales tax from 0.5% to 1% in Contra Costa County, a large county east of San Francisco. The revenue generated from that tax would pay for countywide transportation programs, which would include public transit, biking and pedestrian infrastructure, and highway and local street improvements, according to a legislative analysis of the bill.

“This is a district-specific bill to address transportation needs of the county of Contra Costa,” Sen. Jesse Arreguin, D-Oakland and author of the bill, testified before the Assembly Local Government Committee on Wednesday afternoon. “This is really a renewal of a previous transportation expenditure plan, the transportation sales tax, which has funded a variety of transportation projects in the county.”

As of publication time, the committee had postponed a vote on the bill until later in the meeting because it lacked a quorum.

The tax would ultimately be up to the voters of Contra Costa County to pass through a ballot measure on the Nov. 3 ballot. But Measure J, which is backed by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, first needs legislative approval because it would increase the county's total sales tax above the state-imposed cap of 2%.

“Contra Costa voters have twice renewed their commitment to this local transportation model because they have seen real results,” Newell Arnerich, commissioner on the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and mayor of Danville, testified in support of the bill. “They know that local decision-making, accountability and efficient project delivery create value for taxpayers and improved quality of life. It simply allows voters to have a choice regarding their transportation future.”

Arreguin said Contra Costa County residents have benefited from transportation projects funded by previous passage of the 0.5% sales tax authorized by Measure J, which voters in that county approved in 2004. That measure expires in 2034. The precursor to Measure J, another proposal called Measure C, was passed by Contra Costa County voters in 1988 to pay for public transit projects.

“Major freeway and interchange improvements such as Interstate 680 have been funded, local street repair programs, bus and rail infrastructure, and paratransit programs that serve seniors and persons with disabilities have benefited from the revenue from that measure,” Arreguin testified.

Representatives from the Alameda-Contra Costa County Transit District, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and the city of El Cerrito spoke in favor of the bill during the hearing on Wednesday. No one voiced opposition to the bill during the meeting.

However, there are opponents to the bill. According to the bill analysis, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the California Taxpayers Association and the Contra Costa Taxpayer Association have all registered their opposition.

“By lowering the threshold for passage of a tax increase in the countywide Contra Costa Transportation Authority, SB 1408 would make it easier to enact a transactions and use tax in an area that already has a very high tax burden,” a joint letter from the three groups stated. “Contra Costa County already is a very expensive place to live, and a tax increase on everyday items would only make things worse.”

Representatives from the Howard Jarvis and Contra Costa taxpayers Associations did not respond to The Center Square's requests for comment before publication time. David Kline, the vice president of communications and research for the California Taxpayers Association, said via email Wednesday afternoon that he wasn’t available to answer questions, but sent The Center Square the letter from the three groups stating their opposition.

If passed by Assembly Local Government Committee, the bill will go through a hearing with the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee.