SANDAG failed to deliver on road and highway improvements

SAN DIEGO – San Diego Supervisors Kristin Gaspar and Jim Desmond said San Diego Association of Governments failed to deliver on critical voter-approved road and highway improvements.

“San Diegans” have lost faith in SANDAG,” Gaspar said. “They can’t be trusted to follow through with their promises to voters.”

In 2004, SANDAG persuaded voters to approve a half cent sales tax in exchange for critical highway improvement and expansion projects in East and North County.

North County has experienced exceptional growth and the addition of high-tech, life sciences and other businesses that drive our innovation economy. Unfortunately, the investments in our infrastructure have not kept up with that growth and now commuters are suffering hours of unnecessary time in their cars, burning more carbon while they crawl to and from work and to school to pick up their children.

Now, SANDAG’s new executive director has decided to arbitrarily change the 40-year plan in favor of a high-speed rail project at the expense of north and east counties. Not having viable roads will make it very difficult for first responders to get in and for evacuees to get out of Ramona during a wildfire.

“Even with SANDAG’s new vision, 90 percent of people are still going to be in cars,” Desmond said. “We’re only 11 years into a 40-year tax and it is being suggested that we not do those projects but that the taxpayers continue to pay that tax for the next 29 years.”

Keeping your word shouldn’t need to be legally binding. Shifting funds from a voter-approved plan to new projects without voter approval is wrong. Let’s hold SANDAG accountable. Visit http://www.StopTransNetRaid.com and email us your concerns.