Adoption of Resolution Supporting the AC Transit Parcel Tax Renewal Bond Measure (20 Year Measure).  (Transportation Planning 9161101)
All those in favor. Motion carries unanimous. Good work. That's five. Oh. Okay. And I also pulled five. Oh, so you two guys great minds. The transportation and traffic is something we hear about all that time in Alameda, in not just Alameda, but the Bay Area and the inner city. See, the vice mayor and Councilmember de SAC, I think, sit on the liaison with AC Transit. But there is an AC transit parcel tax renewal bond measure on this year's ballot. And so we are very fortunate to have our own representative on the AC Transit Board, Elsa Ortiz. Ms. Ortiz And we. We earlier heard a proclamation recognizing National Hispanic Heritage Month. And if I recall correctly, she hails from Colombia. Yes. Anyway, she has served as well on the AC Transit Board for a number of years and Ms.. Ortiz is going to tell you a little bit about this thing you. Thank you. Good evening, Madam Mayor. Some members of the city council. Thank you for allowing me to come before you to ask support for our parcel tax. As you mention, we're not increasing the current $8 that you pay regardless of the size of your house is only $8 per month. Per month. Yes, yes, yes. And so we only extending it for 20 years. Right. It covers expenditures of operations and maintenance. It expires in 2019. And so this is the last time that we have an opportunity to be before the voters in a presidential election. Back in 2012, we thought about going to the ballot, but then measure B B was on the ballot. So we stepped aside in order for B B to pass. We did the same thing in 2014. We stepped aside so that all the cities, including AC Transit and all the transit agencies that benefited could have. Measure B b approved. What we were concerned about was that the arguments that b b would be making would have been the same arguments that we would have made. So that that's when we thought, you know, we stepped aside. So this is the last chance that we have before it expires. It is immense. This is $30 million a year. It means a lot to AC transit. It funds school trips, 30,000 kids today and people to work 43% of our trips. It helps to keeps fares reasonable. Reasonable. I think we have increased fares in the last five years. It funds critical services for seniors and riders with disability, with discounted fares. We also provide discount affairs for kids. We have it requires we have safeguards. We have. And part of the measure, it creates an an advisory and audit process to make sure that we spend the money as what is intended to spend, you know, as you know, funding from state has degrees and from the feds, it can fluctuate. So we become more and more dependent on local measures. We just begun to make a major expansion in service because of measure be. If we were to lose the 20 the $30 million full measure from the parcel tax, it will put us back to 2010, which was beginning to restore service when we have those serious draconian cuts because of the recession that everybody went through. We have been indoors this our measure has been endorsed by Congress. One woman, woman barbara lee. But alameda and contra costa labor council. We do surf contra part of contra costa to the alameda county democratic central committee. This is a club like league of women voters and many other. So I do humbly request that you support our parcel tax. Percentage doesn't need to pass. What percentage do you need to pass? Is it 50% or two thirds? Two thirds. This is although two thirds now. They think that all that transit. Proposal required to be. Because if a specific program. Member. Expects to have a quick question, thank you for your presentation so that the 19 is coming back to. Me in December. Can you kind of share the schedule on when that is and the headways and what we can expect? It's going to start the difficult difficulty we have been having and. You know, taking creating this service expansion is we have to hire more drivers. And so that has been delayed a little bit. We're going to start and and then 19. We will start in December. And yeah, this December is that's the second stage. I think that 20 minutes is the is the frequency that we're going to have. We're also working with because remember, we had three alternatives when we were using the measure B, we have that whenever Easter, NC now and others, we are working with the city to make sure that we get enough funding to then start the line the inside out to the ferry. We're working with the MTC, with AC, DC, with weather and all of you to make sure that we have that kind of money. We also part of our transit plan is to have eventually the BRT running about. What Spirit stand for. Bus rapid transit, which is dedicated lanes. So yeah. And then if somebody is listening that wants to apply, how can they apply to be a bus driver? Go to our website. Yes. Good question. W WW dot. Is the transit thought okay. Yes. And please, let's get this bus to the ferry as soon as we can. Yes. Well, yeah, I mean. You know, every city asks for more service, but we are bound by kind of money. That where your favorite, right? Yes. You know, it is. I work hard at. Substantial cuts the last time, so we should have more service restored. Thank you. Member de SAC. I just want to make sure to say that for the viewing audience for Alameda is watching this, that the AC Transit Board really went out of their way to make sure to take the time to obtain what our suggestion or recommendation was with regard to ultimately what turned out to be funding for the Buena Vista line. They took us special considerations for that. And so I hope Alameda has realize the incredible assistance that Mr. Ortiz had gave him personally, as well as the board generally. And one final note. I mean, I hope the residents also realize that the point that she made about, you know, looking into the busses and improving their their access to the ferries is an incredible another incredible point. So that when people go to the polls in November that Alameda is overwhelmingly support this. Thank you, Tony. Yeah, I have to, you know, closing remarks. The city of Alameda and AC Transit works really well together. We meet together once every three months for a committee that we have created between the two agencies. We get together, we hear the concerns and what how we can work together. So it is a wonderful relationship that we have. Thank you. We have emotion. I think the vice mayor was fair. I'd like to move that. We support this as a city council. Thank you. Yeah, go ahead. Look, I have a motion and a second. All those in favor. Of. My motion carries unanimously IFP. Okay. And this is my last poll. When I read it. Let her read it. Oh, sorry, sorry. Adopted resolution supporting the Bay Area Rapid Transit General Obligation Bond measure to fund BART Safety, Reliability and Traffic Relief Program.