Posted on 07/07/2005 6:40:50 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO (AP) - State senators Thursday approved a deal reached with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that would boost tolls at least $1 on most Bay Area bridges to help pay for earthquake safety upgrades, including a new eastern span of the Bay Bridge.
The agreement ended a dispute between the Republican governor and San Francisco area legislators over how to cover $3.6 billion in cost overruns, mainly from the Bay Bridge project.
"With any luck at all, we'll never have this subject before us again," said Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, who negotiated the deal with Schwarzenegger.
The bill would raise tolls on the Bay Bridge and six other state-owned bridges from $3 to $4 starting Jan. 1, 2007. The toll on the Golden Gate Bridge, which is operated by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, would remain at $5.
The toll increases are expected to raise at least $2.15 billion to help cover the overruns. The state will provide $630 million, and another $820 million will come from refinancing the debt on bridge bonds.
Most of the money would be used to complete the Bay Bridge, but about $250 million would go for seismic work on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
The agreement, in a bill by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, would give the Bay Area Toll Authority the power to raise tolls more if the $1 increase was inadequate.
If the overruns turned out to be less than $3.6 billion, the tolls could be reduced along with the state's share of the cost. The authority also would have the power to reduce the tolls after the bridge costs were covered.
The agreement clears the way for construction of the soaring suspension design favored by local leaders for a portion of the new eastern span and establishes a three-member committee to oversee the upgrades.
The committee is composed of the executive directors of the Bay Area Toll Authority and California Transportation Commission and the director of the Department of Transportation. It would have to issue quarterly reports to the Legislature on the progress of the project.
The project has been plagued by delays, cost overruns and political bickering ever since the state began working on plans to replace the eastern span after a section of the Bay Bridge collapsed during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The replacement span is now scheduled to be completed by 2012.
The suspension design will feature a 524-foot-tall tower. The span's decks will be held up by steel cables connected to two larger steel cables draped over the tower.
Thursday's 34-3 vote returned the bill to the Assembly, which passed it in May as a measure dealing with the state budget. Final approval by the Assembly would send the bill to Schwarzenegger.
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On the Net: Read the bill, AB144, at www.senate.ca.gov
Proposition 42 Funding Linked to GoCalifornia Proposal. While the May Revision proposes to allow the Proposition 42 transfer to occur as described above, the administration has stated its intent to make the expenditure of these funds contingent on passage of three bills that are part of the Governor's GoCalifornia proposal. These three bills—AB 850 (Canciamilla), AB 1266 (Niello), and SB 705 (Runner)—would allow the state to enter into agreements that permit private companies to build toll-funded transportation projects in addition to those already permitted by law, allow construction to begin on some transportation projects before design is complete, and allow Caltrans to award contracts to private companies to both design and build projects, respectively. The May Revision proposes to link the availability of Proposition 42 funds to the passage of these three bills.Interesting how all those strings are attached to who gets their chunk of OUR $117 Billion dollars and how those bills also deal with Toll-Roads, i.e. tax increases (see prior articles under keyword: GoCalifornia).
Another monolithic monument to Schwarzenegger's stupidity!!! Pistol packin Peratta really is leadin Arnold around by the ring in his nose lately!!!
Oh yayah, right! (dripping sarcasm) Just like they've done with the Golden Gate Bridge District!!! Ha Ha Ha!!!
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