Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Warren Slocum
Subject: Resolution Calling a Special Election on Regional Measure 3 Relating to a Bay Area Bridge Toll Increase of Up to Three Dollars ($3) to Qualified Electors of the County of San Mateo, Consolidating the Special Election on RM 3 with the June 5, 2018 Statewide Direct Primary Election, and Authorizing the County’s Chief Elections Officer to Provide Election Services Related to RM 3 Requested by the Bay Area Toll Authority.
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution calling a special election on Regional Measure 3 (“RM 3”) relating to a Bay Area bridge toll increase of up to three dollars ($3) to the qualified electors of the County of San Mateo (the “County”), consolidating the special election on RM 3 with the June 5, 2018 Statewide Direct Primary Election, and authorizing the County’s Chief Elections Officer to provide election services related to RM 3 requested by the Bay Area Toll Authority (the “Authority”).
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BACKGROUND:
The Authority is an agency established pursuant to Streets & Highways Code Section 30950, et seq. It is responsible for the administration of all toll revenues from state-owned toll bridges within the geographic jurisdiction of the MTC, which includes the County and the Bay Area’s other eight counties. Streets & Highways Code Section 30923 authorized the Authority to select a proposed toll increase amount of up to three dollars ($3) to be placed on the ballot in each of the nine counties. Section 30923 further requires that the measure be designated as “Regional Measure 3,” and that, at the request of the Authority, all nine Bay Area call a special election, to be consolidated with the statewide primary or general election selected by the Authority.
DISCUSSION:
On January 24, 2018, the Authority adopted a resolution calling for a special election on RM 3 proposing a toll increase of three dollars ($3) over the course of eight years-one dollar ($1) in 2019, one dollar ($1) in 2022, and one dollar ($1) in 2025-on all Bay Area toll bridges except the Golden Gate Bridge. The Authority’s resolution requests that the County and the other Bay Area counties to consolidate the special election on RM 3 with the June 5, 2018 Statewide Direct Primary Election ballot and further provides that the form of the ballot question shall read as follows:
BAY AREA TRAFFIC RELIEF PLAN. Shall voters authorize a plan to reduce auto and truck traffic, relieve crowding on BART, unclog freeway bottlenecks, and improve bus, ferry, BART and commuter rail service as specified in the plan in this voter pamphlet, with a $1 toll increase effective in 2019, a $1 increase in 2022, and a $1 increase in 2025, on all Bay Area toll bridges except the Golden Gate Bridge, with independent oversight of all funds?
Streets & Highways Code Section 30923(c)(2) requires that the ballot for the special election include a summary of the expenditure plan for RM 3 prepared by the Authority. (A summary of the expenditure plan provided by the Authority is attached to this Memorandum as Attachment A.) If RM 3 is approved by the voters, the Authority will establish an independent oversight committee to oversee toll revenues generated by RM 3. (Streets & Hwy. Code, § 30923(h).) The oversight committee would be comprised of two representatives from each Bay Area county appointed by each county’s board of supervisors.
The Chief Elections Officer shall report the results of the County election to the Authority. (Streets & Hwy. Code, § 30923(e).)
Approval of this resolution contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 of a Collaborative Community
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No net cost to the County. Under RM 3, the Authority is required to reimburse the County for the incremental cost of submitting RM 3 to the voters. (Streets & Hwy. Code, § 30923(g)(2).) Therefore, although the County would incur costs in providing election services to the Authority, such costs would be reimbursed. Moreover, as authorized by Streets & Highways Code Section 30923(g)(1), the County of Santa Clara has agreed to translate RM 3 ballot materials into other required languages and to share such translations with the County and the other Bay Area counties.