Item 21A - Status Report on Pending Legislation
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AGENDA "",-PORT SUMMARY
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
- James L. Bowersox, City Man~
FROM:
INITIATED BY: John D. Fitch, Assistant City Manage~ .
Penny Riley, Senior Management Analys
DATE: August 22, 1995
SUBJECT: Status Report on Pending Legislation
ABSTRACT
On August 17, 1995, the City of Poway received a letter from Michael Bixler, Chairman
of the SANDAG Board of Directors, urging the City of Poway to oppose House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Bud Shuster's outline for the House
National Highway System (NHS) Bill (Attachment A). This report details the local
impact of the legislation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a project, Therefore, environmental review is not
- required.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this informational report; however, approval
of the Shuster proposal could impact funding for completion of much needed regional
transportation links.
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND CORRESPONDENCE
Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Congressman Bob Filner, member of the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, will be notified of the City's opposition
to this legislation.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council oppose the proposed outline by Congressman
Shuster for the House National Highway System (NHS) Bill and direct staff to notify the
appropriate legislative members and committees.
ACTION
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! AGENDA REPORT
CITY OF POW A Y
This report is included on the Consent Calendar. There will be no separate discussion of the report prior to llpproval by the
City Council unless members of the Council. staff or public request it to be removed from the Consent Calendar and
discussed separately. If you wish to have this report pulled for discussion, please fill out a slip indicating the report number
and give it to the City Clerk prior to the beginning of the City Council meeting.
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TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: James L, Bowersox, City Man~ ~
INITIATED BY: John D. Fitch, Assistant City Manage~
Penny Riley, Senior Management Analys
DATE: August 22, 1995
SUBJECT: Status Report on Pending Legislation
BACKGROUND
On August 17, 1995, the City of Poway received a letter from Michael Bixler,
Chairman of the SANDAG Board of Directors, urging the City of Poway to oppose
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Bud Shuster's outline
for the House National Highway System (NHS) Bill (Attachment A),
FINDINGS
House National HiQhwav Svstem CNHS) Bill - Shuster ProDosal
Congressman Shuster has developed an outline for the House National Highway
System (NHS) Bill which would implement a 20% across-the-board reduction in
FY 1996 ISTEA (Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act 1991) program
authorizations. This proposal would allow states to transfer funds which have
not already been obligated or spent, The impact on federal highway funds
would be the loss of all program category identifications (i,e.CMAQ and STP),
Additionally, the funds would no longer be subject to the ISTEA requirements
for suballocation to metropolitan areas. This proposal would give the sole
decision-making authority to the state to reprogram funds.
SANDAG is strongly opposed to this proposal as it would effectively remove
local decision making from the allocation process for federal highway funds,
This proposal could impact funds programmed by SANDAG, and allocated to
projects of regional importance such as funding for SR 52 and SR 56 in
additional to the items specified in Attachment A.
It is recommended that the City Council oppose the NHS Bill as currently
proposed.
ACTION:
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- Agenda Report
Pending Legislation
August 22. 1995
Page 2
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a project, Therefore, environmental review is
not required.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this informational report; however,
approval of the Shuster proposal could impact funding for completion of much
needed regional transportation links.
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND CORRESPONDENCE
Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Congressman Bob Filner, member of the
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, will be notified of the
City's opposition to this legislation,
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council oppose the proposed outline by
Congressman Shuster for the House National Highway System (NHS) Bill and
direct staff to notify the appropriate legislative members and committees,
Attachment
A. Letter from SANDAG
par\data\report\pnl.g822.95
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~ San Diego
ASSOCIATION OF
GOVERNMEl\1TS
Suite 800. First Interstate Plaza
401 B Street .
San Diego. California 92101
RECEIVED (619)595,5300 Fax (619)595-5305
August 15, 1995
AUG 1 7 1995
Hon. Don Higginson CllYOFPOWAY
Mayor CITY MANAGERS OFFICE
City of Poway
13325 Civic Center Drive
Poway, CA 92064
RE: NHS Legislation: Shuster Proposal - OPPOSE
Dear Mayor Higginson:
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Bud Shuster has developed an
outline for the House National Highway System (NHS) bill, Among the provisions are
several designed to "take care of' the impacts of the 20% across-the-board reduction in
all FY 1996 ISTEA program authorizations, Using as justification the need to mitigate the
impacts of this reduction, Congressman Shuster's proposal would allow the states to
transfer any funds in any categories that have not yet been obligated or spent, Funds
could be transferred to provide funding for programs even beyond their authorized levels. '
The result of this proposal would be that federal funds would lose all identity with respect
to program categories, such as CMAQ and STP, and federal funds would not be subject
to any of ISTEA' s requirements for suballocation to metropolitan areas, States would have
the sole decision-making authority to reprogram these funds.
Local decision makin~ and Metro..politan Plannini Orianizations (cities and counties)
would effectively be written out of the process for decidini how any federal hiihw~ funds
are $pent. Congressman Shuster intends to act quickly on the bill, taking it up in the
committee on September 5th.
For the San Diego region, this proposal could impact funds programmed by SANDAG but
not yet obligated for the following projects and programs:
0 STP Funds - SANDAG programmed $21 million for SR 76 in North County and $21
million for SR 125 - Sweetwater in the Spring Valley area, as well as $67 million
to be distributed to local agencies for a variety of local projects, Any of these funds
not yet obligated to projects could be subject to redistribution at the discretion of the
state.
4 of 5 Cities of Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Coronado, Del Mar, El Caion, Encinitas, Escondida, Imperlal8each, La Mesa, Lemon Grove.
.__.._..81 City, Oceanside. Poway, San Diego, Sar 188Ch, Vista, and County of San Diego.
ADVISORYILIAISON MEMBERS: Camomia Oeportman! of Transportat ATTACHMENT A fense, 5,0, unifiAUG 2s2ctm~ TiiUiTEM"Ii2'L a .
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0 CMAQ Funds - SANDAG programmed over $20 million for the Mission Valley East
trolley extension, $12 million for local agency traffic signal improvements, $11
million for HOV lanes on 1-5, and $6 million for the Route 78 Rail Trail bikeway .
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and the Bay Shore Bikeway. Many of these funds have yet to be allocated and could
be subject to redistribution,
0 TEA Funds - SANDAG programmed 16 TEA projects which received a total of $14
million in TEA funds through the California Transportation Commission (CI'C).
Funds have been obligated for only four of the these projects to date. The remaining
$12 million in programmed TEA projects, which includes, as you know, projects in
most of the region's communities, could be subject to redistribution.
We urge you to contact your Congressman expressing opposition and urging him to
immediately contact members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
to alert them. From our region Congressman FiIner serves on the Committee,
In addition to expressing your opposition to the Shuster bill, we suggest that if a solution
to funding shortfalls is needed, then one should be constructed that will not pit states
against local governments, but allow the 20% reduction to be dealt with by states through
the local decision making (MPO) process currently established in ISTEA, I have attached
a letter I have sent to Congressman Shuster and also to my Congressman for your
-", information,
Please contact Ken Sulzer (595-5330) or Stuart Shaffer (595-5331) of the SANDAG staff
if you need further assistance or information in order to follow up on this urgent request.
Thank you in advance for your assistance on this most critical issue for our region.
Sincerely,
~13t1i~
MICHAEL B, BIXLER
Chairman, Board of Directors
MBB/DG/dah
Attachments
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