Governor's new budget makes

transportation and environment

priorities
Submitted by Ryan Wiggins on Thu, 01/16/2014 - 11:51

Posted Date:
01/16/2014
Last week Governor Brown released his initial
budget proposal including a plan to invest $850
million in cap-and-trade greenhouse gas auction
proceeds.
The proposal is drawing wide praise from
environmental and social justice advocates for
including strategies to reduce carbon pollution,
support the most disadvantaged communities,
and stoke green economic growth.
Of the $850 million, $600 million would be dedicated to sustainable communities and clean
transportation. This is an appropriate focus given the need to transform our transportation system
and foster smart land-use to meet both our 2020 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and
the far more ambitious goal of reducing emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
A good start, but program details will be shaped over coming year.
Of the transportation funding:
$250 million is for High Speed Rails (HSR) initial operating segment, with $50 million for other
rail projects. TransForm is talking with the administration and will work with other groups to
ensure any expenditures on HSR can meet legal requirements for carbon emission reductions.
$200 million for low-carbon transportation, including freight. While this will help clean the air,
TransForm is also talking with groups to focus on programs like electric car-sharing in aordable
housing developments that can save families money and reduce overall driving, not simply
incentives for new electric vehicle purchases.
$100 million in local assistance funding to support regions in the implementation of Sustainable
Communities Strategies, required under SB 375. According to the budget this will prioritize
disadvantaged communities and will reduce carbon emissions by increasing transit ridership,
walking and bicycling, aordable housing near transit stations, preservation of agricultural land,
and local planning to promote infill development and reduce vehicle travel. The Strategic
Growth Council will coordinate the program, with programmatic work done by a host of
agencies.
The expenditure plan also includes critical funding for weatherizing homes in low-income
communities and creating parks and urban greening.
Investments in the Sustainable Communities program will provide Californians transportation
choices that will reduce driving commute times by reducing sprawl, improve public health, and save
money on both transportation and housing.
Unfortunately, the $100 million for investments in Sustainable Communities falls well short of the
need to support eective regional eorts to meet SB 375 emission reduction goals. Transit agencies
across the state were hit hard by the Great Recession and responded with major cuts to service
leaving transit riders without the ecient, aordable, and frequent service they depend on.
Not funding expanded transit operations is a missed opportunity for the state to support regional
eorts, said Denny Zane, Executive Director of Move LA. Investments in expanding transit service
- especially in low-income communities - and providing discounted transit passes to students are

cost-eective ways to reliably reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution, and provide critical
access to employment and educational opportunities, and grow the economy.
Next steps for TransForm, the Governor, and California.
Over the next several months TransForm will work with its partners and allies in the Sustainable
Communities for All Coalition and the Legislature and Governor to increase the funding for
Sustainable Communities.
Transit operations, or at least transit passes and programs to speed bus transit to reduce operating
costs and increase ridership, should be a priority. Similarly, State funding for aordable homes near
transit has all but dried up, and should be a priority as identified in our fact sheet.
There are realistic and reasonable options. First, The Governors proposal only included repaying
$100 million of the last years $500 million loan to the General Fund. The Legislature could move
to repay all or some of the remaining $400 million and dedicate that to Sustainable Communities.
Second, any additional cap-and-trade auction proceeds above and beyond the $850 million could
be dedicated to Sustainable Communities.
The Governors proposal now shifts focus to the Legislature, who have the opportunity to
encourage the Governor to provide a revised budget in May that invests more cap-and-trade
proceeds in aordable, ecient, and clean transportation choices.
This is the time to engage in this process and help us push for the best budget possible:
Register for our Transportation Choices Summit and optional Advocacy day where youll join
with advocates, concerned citizens, and experts from throughout the state to discuss the latest
on cap-and-trade and other important transportation issues.
Sign on to the Sustainable Communities for All Coalition platformand help us in our work to
ensure that cap-and-trade invests in projects that fight climate change now and benefit future
generations.
Contact Ryan Wiggins, Cap-and-Trade Campaign Manager, or Joshua Stark, State Policy
Director to learn more about how you can be involved
Even as we work out these details, we are thrilled that proceeds from greenhouse gas pollution
permits can help fund a future for California that is more sustainable for all. Yet again, California is
pointing the way for other states, the federal government and other countries.
Tags:
CA
Cap-and-Trade
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