REDWOOD NEEDLES Presented by the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter Newsletter, The REDWOOD NEEDLES Return to Article Menu Transportation Sales Tax Measure By Richard Day and Len Swenson The Club's Sonoma County Group endorsed a proposed half-cent, 20 year, sales tax measure to fund transportation improvements in Sonoma County. The measure, based on a plan developed by Peter Calthorpe, provides for an operating rail transit system from Healdsburg to Larkspur in Marin County, added HOV, (car pool), lanes from Windsor to Cotati and through Petaluma, as well as significant expenditures for improved bus service, para transit, bike lanes and hiking trails. The Marin County Sierra Club group has endorsed a companion measure for the Marin County ballot, which will insure extension of rail service in Marin County and will provide $55 million for purchase of open space land along the rail corridor. The Sonoma County measure also provides funds to widen the Petaluma River bridge and funding to assist cities in developing transit oriented developments near the rail transit stations. Neither County's plan, at this stage, includes funds for widening the roadway from Petaluma to Novato. The proposal, which was presented to the Board of Supervisors on March 17th, was the result of long term cooperation between environmental, business and civic groups. The organization they formed, Citizens for Tax Relief, (CTR), has been meeting for almost a year and is prepared, provided the Supervisors accept their proposal, to be the basis for a campaign organization supporting the measure. The Sonoma County Trans-portation Authority has endorsed the CTR proposal but added funding for highway 116 improvements both in the Sonoma Valley and the west county at the request of Supervisors Mike Cale and Mike Reilly. West county projects also include a realignment of Llano Road and its extension to Occidental Road. At the Supervisors March 17th meeting, there was a large turnout of advocates for widening the freeway from Windsor to the Marin County line and it appears that at least Supervisors Paul Kelley and Jim Harberson may support that proposal. The Supervisors are having a second public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on April 21st, after which they will decide on the measure to be put on the ballot. Interested members should attend that meeting. Once the Supervisors have written the measure the Sonoma Group will sponsor a general membership meeting to discuss the measure and, based on member sentiment, the Executive Committee will decide whether or not the Group will support the proposal. -Richard Day, Sonoma County Group Vice-Chair -Len Swenson, Sonoma County Group Transportation Chair Return to Article Menu Last updated on 3/29/98 Comments or suggestions? Drop us a line at heyneedles@aol.com