County transportation plan gets green light from Salinas taxpayers

It’s no secret that the roads in Monterey County are in bad shape. But the Transportation Agency for Monterey Countyhas put a plan together to fix them. However it does include a sales tax increase. A few more steps remain before it ends up on the November ballot.

TAMC took its transportation plan on the road, and so far it’s been a pretty smooth ride.

“Every single City, along with the Board of Supervisors have adopted the plan. They agreed with the projects identified, and they all are in support of it,” said TAMC Outreach Coordinator Theresa Wright.

That plan would call for a county-wide 3/8 of one cent sales tax.

“That would raise $20 million annually and were looking at it over 30 years. So overall what were talking about is over $600 million dollars,” said Wright.

Money which would then be split equally between local and regional projects. Even the Salinas Taxpayers Association supports the tax hike.

“We make sure that when people give money to the government that money is spent wisely and appropriately. Every measure is not perfect and it has a variety of compromises, but we have determined that there is a problem in this county with potholes and deteriorating roads and this money is well spent,” said Salinas Taxpayers Association President Kevin Dayton.

Dollars earned could then be matched by state funds.

“California nowadays is requiring local governments to make a bigger investment to get state money. And in Monterey County we need to realize that we’ll have to put more money into the system to get anything back,” said Dayton.

Farming and tourism are also in support of the plan. The less than a penny increase, now heads to TAMC board.

“Our board is going to take a look at the end of the month, then decide if they’ll ask the Board of Supervisors if it can be placed on the ballot,” said Wright.

The measure would need a two-thirds majority in order to pass.