Mayor Marchand wants us to tax ourselves for the next 20 years with a promise that measure B will bring BART to Livermore. There is no such promise in any of the past attempts to pass this crazy TAX HIKE. This measure increases taxes on all income levels. It puts control of transportation decisions in the hands of Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) who will use their taxing authority and resources to fund inefficient, expensive, and underutilized public transportation systems at the expense of automobile drivers.
"These proposed funds would be distributed periodically by the Alameda CTC to eligible agencies within Alameda County" 2012 Alameda County Transportation Expenditure Plan Who are these agencies? Why should ATC be given a blank check written at taxpayer expense to disburse funds to undetermined "agencies" The Alameda County GRAND JURY just cited the county for "lack of oversight on the expenditure of funds" (CC Times, June 27, 2012)
How can citizens trust that funds will be spent wisely? Vote NO
Measure B is expensive and wasteful.
“When times are tight, you tighten your belt,” said Mimi Steel, President of the SF Bay Citizens Alliance for Property Rights. “Before anybody talks about spending any money, or putting any more taxes on hardworking people, they need to take a hard look at what resources they have right now.”
Alameda County’s current sales tax for transportation—one half cent per every dollar—was initially approved by voters in 1986, and reauthorized by over 80% of voters in 2000. It is not set to expire until 2022.
Now they want to tax us another 1/2 percent FOREVER to fund what?
