REGIONAL MEETING MINUTES

October 20, 2004

1. Revisions to agenda - none

2) Announcements

  • Ross Geldspan and others will present on global climate change and the connections with transportation and land use. December 3, 7:00pm, Mill Valley Community Center.
  • Steve Geller has opened a new web site on BRT for AC Transit (BRT@topica.com), mostly focusing on BRT options along Telegraph in Berkeley.
  • Norman Mineta Institute presentation on BRT at MTC, November 12, 1:00-3:45. Focus is attempting to learn from LA's experience.
    http://transweb.sjsu.edu/mtievent.htm
  • TALC will release its land use proposal 11/9 or 10, just before MTC's release of their draft RTP. For background, see http://www.transcoalition.org/c/sus_rtp/rtp_home.html
  • TALC's South Bay Office will hold a forum on bike/pedestrian safety in East San Jose, 10/29, 6-8pm. For details, see TALC's website at http://www.transcoalition.org/calendar.html#saferstreets

3) Proposition 72
We received a presentation supporting proposition 72 by Steven Pitts of the UC labor Center Prop. 72 requires large and medium-size companies to pay for health insurance for employees. It will extend health insurance to 1.1. million working people and children who are currently uninsured, and help build momentum for reforming the way that health care is financed. TALC has not taken a position. For more information, contact Steven Pitts at stevencpitts@yahoo.com or 510 663-4077, or visit www.SaveYourHealthcare.com

4) TRANSDEF's Smart Growth Alternative in the RTP
 The 2005 Regional Transportation Plan will have, for the first time, a true smart growth alternative, developed by TRANSDEF. The draft RTP, including the outcomes of this alternative, is expected to be released by MTC on November 12th.   At the TALC meeting, David Schonbrunn of TRANSDEF passed out a fact sheet on the TRANSDEF alternative and described some of its changes from MTC's other scenarios. For a copy of the fact sheet, or more information about the Smart Growth Alternative, contact TRANSDEF at (415) 380-8600 or david@schonbrunn.org, or see www.mtcwatch.com.

We discussed a few ways transit and smart growth activists can support the TRANSDEF Alternative:

  • come to MTC meeting where RTP alternatives will be released  (Nov. 12, 9:30, at MTC)
  • include it in a newsletter
  • talk it up at City Council meetings, asking Council members to talk to their colleagues at MTC

5) $7 Billion of Transportation on the Ballot
There are five transportation sales taxes on Bay Area ballots, as well as BART and AC transit measures. For an overview of TALC's positions, see http://www.transcoalition.org/c/2004measures.html

6) Developing TALC's Priorities for the Next Three Years
TALC board members Margaret Okuzumi and Dick Schneider discussed TALC's strategic planning process to develop our priorities for the next three years, including a major revision of our platform, which guides much of our work. Margaret presented the draft platform and the group went through four exercises:

6a) Prioritize components of the draft platform. The group's top 3 priorities were:

  • Platform item 1a: Prioritize reinvestment in local bus systems and secure community support and funding for Bus Rapid Transit in urban corridors.
  • Platform item 4a: Lead efforts to require communities to practice smart growth in order to receive transportation and other infrastructure funds. A top priority is to have MTC condition funds for transit expansion on the construction of housing, including affordable units, in transit station areas.
  • Platform item 7a: Lead efforts to secure funding for the Lifeline Transportation Network, which would fill gaps and improve service between low-income communities and key destinations.

The TALC Board has committed that based on all the feedback TALC receives on the draft platform, the top 3 items suggested by member representatives will automatically be included in the strategic plan, in addition to other initiatives chosen.

6b) Brainstorm missing components in the draft platform. Some key suggestions included:

  • universal transit smart card
  • stabilize funding for transit
  • adequate bike storage/parking at all transit stations
  • 24 hour bridge access for bike/ped
  • greater enforcement of bike theft laws
  • expand/improve user-friendliness of transit
  • Transit impact fees on new development  earmark money for alternative transit modes
  • Incorporate smart development component in sales tax
  • Progressive taxes for transportation (not sales taxes)

6c) Identify items that may be objectionable to some TALC Member groups. Some items mentioned included:

  • Concerns that Bus Rapid Transit is not cost-effective when it has a dedicated lane
  • Concern that HOT lanes favor the wealthy

6d) Brainstorm and discuss ideas for new initiatives.
 There was a brainstorming session with potential initiatives for TALC to include as part of its three-year strategic plan. Some of the ideas that garnered the most enthusiasm, and will be the topics of TALC workgroup meetings in late November and early December include:

  • Involvement in State Issues -- many people felt that TALC should get involved with transportation and smart growth legislation at the state level, by partnering up with the Better California Campaign or by considering other avenues. People wanted to see TODs as eligible for redevelopment designation.
  • Regional Gas Tax -- the other proposal that had a lot of support was for TALC to take the lead on promoting a regional gas tax to fund transportation alternatives. MTC is supposedly seeking legislation to reduce the threshold for such a tax to 50%.
  • Bay Bridge Congestion Pricing
  • Regional Transportation Plan Advocacy -- especially to promote Smart growth
  • BART to San Jose replacement proposal
  • HOT lanes -- with both support and oppositon to this idea, a workgroup may be formed just to get clarity on what stands TALC should take, even if it is not turned into a campaign
  • Routing of High Speed Rail

Other suggestions included: having more of an air-quality component to our work, youth and transportation issues, and a greater focus on public education.

If you did not attend the meeting and would like to help develop TALC's strategic plan, you can still give feedback on the draft platform or suggest new initiatives. For more info, visit http://www.transcoalition.org/stratplan/

7) Next Meeting
Dec 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Location: Sierra Club, 85 Second St., 3rd Floor (corner of Mission)
San Francisco -- near Montgomery BART

For more information please see www.transcoalition.org or call 510-740-3150. To suggest items for future agendas please contact Stuart Cohen at stuart@transcoalition.org or call the number above.
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