California Assembly Republican Leader Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) was joined by her Republican colleagues on Monday to unveil their transportation funding proposal to provide an estimated $6.6 billion in funding for transportation infrastructure.
The Assembly Republican plan relies entirely on existing transportation revenues that they believe should be reprioritized and reinvested to address state and local transportation priorities. In addition to $2.3 billion in funding contained in the 2015-16 State Budget Package, the Assembly Republican Plan would redirect the following transportation revenues:
- $1 billion in Cap and Trade;
- $1 billion in Truck Weight Fees;
- $200 million in Strategic Growth Funding;
- $500 million in redundant California Department of Transportation positions;
- $685 million in projected savings from long-term vacant positions that have gone unfilled; and,
- $1 billion in General Fund contributions for approximately $6.6 billion in total funding.
The Assembly Republican Plan includes three controversial policy changes including major reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act, elimination of the sunset date for use of public-private partnerships for transportation projects, and placing the California Transportation Commission as a standalone entity outside the control of the Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency. The Assembly Republican Caucus’ Press Release announcing the proposal can be accessed here.