FAQs
When would an initiative be on the ballot?
The earliest an initiative could make it to the ballot is March 2028, the Presidential Primaries. This would lead to a significant change in road spending in the County’s 2028-29 fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2028.
What money is being spent on roads today?
Today, gas taxes are the primary source of funding for roads. However, they are insufficient. Crucially, none of our property tax dollars are currently being spent on roads.
Gas taxes, provide approximately $9M per year. These pay for the County’s annual basic maintenance program including pot hole filling, ditching, mowing, and a dozen or so culvert replacements. However, gas tax revenues have been flat or even slightly declining, due to the increase of electric vehicles. Meanwhile, inflation has eroded the purchasing power of those dollars. The result is that our gas taxes can’t cover all of the work that is needed and we’re falling behind.
In 2017, California passed SB 1, increasing gas taxes and annual vehicle registration fees. Here in Santa Cruz County, those additional revenues have been used as the local match dollars to draw down FEMA money and pay for storm damage repairs. However, once again they are insufficient, which is why there are so many storm damage sites remaining.
Then there is the local ½ cent sales tax Measure D (2016). 30% of the funding goes to local roads, including city and county roads. The County’s allocation is approximately $4 million per year. However, this money is frequently needed to do larger projects on arterial roads, leaving neighborhood streets neglected.
The money for large regional projects like the work on Highway 1 or the Rail Trail comes from state or federal grants that cannot be reallocated for local road maintenance.
What happens if we do nothing?
Roads fall further into disrepair and the County pursues new taxes, ranging from parcel taxes to sales taxes, to make us pay for it.
What can be done in the short-term?
Advocacy to the County Board of Supervisors is the most direct action available. Email them all here. Or better yet, identify your Supervisor and email him/her directly.
How will accurate records of fundraising and expenditures be maintained?
The Committee is organized under the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). As a result, all contributions and expenditures must be publicly reported semiannually. The filings are accessible via the County Clerk's campaign reporting page: https://votescount.santacruzcountyca.gov/Home/CampaignReporting.aspx
What is the plan for any surplus funds remaining after the project's completion?
The Committee is established as a Santa Cruz County General Purpose Committee, which means that it can make contributions to any initiative or candidate measure (with at least 70% of funds for Santa Cruz County initiatives or candidates). The plan is to "leave it all on the field" for the roads initiative, but if funds are left over, they can be used to support or oppose initiative's or candidates that are relevant to roads.