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Bond propositions a package deal

By Rachael Warecki
San Mateo Daily Journal
September 4, 2006

Propositions 1A through 1E are a rare case in the world of elections: they will appear on the November ballot as a package deal supported by both major political parties, with no organized opposition.

The bonds, which are supported by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer as well as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic challenger Phil Angelides, seek to use existing funds to improve California's infrastructure in the long term. While each bond deals with a specific problem, together the five separate measures provide a plan for rebuilding.

"It's a rare case of bipartisan cooperation," said Paul Hefner, spokesperson for the Rebuild California Campaign. "People who wouldn't necessarily agree with each other are in favor of these bonds."

Safety is these measures' main priority. Collectively, the bonds would repair dangerous sections of highway, make schools earthquake-safe, provide more shelters for the homeless and for battered women, prevent flooding and protect clean drinking water. The collective bonds are also fiscally responsible, as they will not initiate any new taxes.

vProposition 1A seeks to modify 2002's Proposition 42 so that funds for transportation improvement would no longer be siphoned into other projects.

"In the last couple of years, $2.5 billion has been diverted into projects that have nothing to do with transportation," said Hefner. "Prop. 1B would close the loophole [in Proposition 42]."

Much of the funds from Proposition 1A would be funneled into Proposition 1B. Proposition 1B's main objective is to provide $20 billion to repair dangerous and congested highways, but it also seeks to improve California's system of public transit. Through expanded carpool lanes and public transportation methods, the measure hopes to cut down on California's amount of pollution.

"Together with 1A, there's a stable source of funding for highway relief that's been set to the side," Hefner said.

The Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act, listed on the ballot as Proposition 1C, hopes to use existing general obligation bonds to fund new and existing housing development programs. The measure seeks to increase development in urban areas, assist potential low-income homeowners in buying homes, renovate existing apartment buildings and provide funds for homeless shelters.

As different as Proposition 1C might seem from 1A and 1B, the measure includes incentives for communities to build housing near public transit stations so that the traffic problems 1A and 1B seek to combat does not worsen.

Proposition 1D would repair public schools to make them earthquake-safe while Proposition 1E would work toward flood prevention and improving the quality of drinking water.

v"We've learned a lesson from Hurricane Katrina," said Hefner. "There are 1,600 miles worth of levees in California. We need to make sure they continue to safeguard [the state]."

State Senate President Don Perata, Assembly Speaker Fabien Nuņez, Senate Republican leader Dick Ackerman and Assembly Republican Speaker George Plescia are the co-chairs of the Rebuild California campaign.

"There's been a consensus to do something," said Hefner. "It's estimated that in 20 years the population of California will be 50 million. Everyone agrees that we have to make a steady improvement."