Caltrain and buses would take a back seat to BART, group
says
GILROY – The local public transportation riders union is coming out against the Valley Transportation Authority’s recently approved plan to borrow $252 million from future revenues for BART to San Jose construction.
Santa Clara VTA Riders Union Founder and President Eugene Bradley said Thursday that the result of the VTA bond will be less resources for South County buses and Caltrain.
The riders union is a citizen-comprised public transportation advocacy organization and government watchdog group. It is not related to the VTA.
“My main concern is that this bond will make BART a priority at the cost of every other form of public transportation in the county,” Bradley said. “This could take away the planned improvements for Caltrain between Gilroy and San Jose, and forget about improved bus routes.”
To the shock of many and disapproval of its two South County representatives and the County Board of Supervisors, the VTA voted 7-5 Aug. 7 to endorse a $550 million bond that would tap into the November 2000 voter-approved Measure A sales tax. The half-cent sales tax won’t go into effect for three years and lasts until 2036.
Mayor Tom Springer and County District 1 Supervisor Don Gage, South County’s only representatives on the VTA board, both voted against the bond.
If the bond is approved by a court this fall, it will also allow $80 million to keep the financially-strapped VTA operating near its current level of bus, light rail and transit services, stalling its ultimatum to cut 21 percent of its services in January.
Bradley, Springer and Gage support borrowing $80 million to prevent service cuts, but not the projected $252 million of the bond that would go to engineering work for BART to San Jose.
VTA staff will hold a special meeting today to discuss the bond issue further.
“As the riders union, we are asking people in South County to help us in our effort against this bond,” Bradley said, ” (to) come get back the money voters were promised would be used for projects in their communities.”
If the bond passes, $425 million in planned Measure A improvements to Caltrain during the coming decades will take a back seat to BART to San Jose, Bradley said, echoing the concerns of Springer and Gage. Other South County upgrades promised in Measure A, such as a U.S. 101 to Buena Vista interchange near Saint Louise Regional Hospital could see projected funding siphoned as well.
Approved by more than 70 percent of county voters in 2000, Measure A used BART expansion as its marquee attraction, and the measure was projected to raise $6 billion over its 30-year life. BART expansion would soak up $2 billion of those funds, while the remaining two-thirds would go to other county public transportation, including $325 million earmarked for a Caltrain double track between Gilroy and San Jose, electrification of the trains and service upgrades. Another $100 million was designated to improve Caltrain equipment and facilities.
“Is it feasible to borrow to keep existing service going? Yes,” Bradley said. “Should the VTA acrew a huge debt for one project – no.”
The VTA’s next scheduled board meeting will be Sept. 2.
To contact the county riders union, go to www.vtaridersunion.org. For more information about the VTA, go to www.vta.org.
