This measure would urge Congress and the President of the United States to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program at a level of $525 million in the 2017 fiscal year to provide additional critical investment in California and elsewhere, and to work together to finally find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax, provide California and the rest of the country with the resources needed to rebuild its infrastructure, invest in its people through good, well-paying jobs, and restore our economy.

This measure would urge Congress and the President of the United States to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program at a level of $525 million in the 2017 fiscal year to provide additional critical investment in California and elsewhere, and to work together to finally find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax, provide California and the rest of the country with the resources needed to rebuild its infrastructure, invest in its people through good, well-paying jobs, and restore our economy.

This measure would urge Congress and the President of the United States to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program at a level of $525 million in the 2017 fiscal year to provide additional critical investment in California and elsewhere, and to work together to finally find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax, provide California and the rest of the country with the resources needed to rebuild its infrastructure, invest in its people through good, well-paying jobs, and restore our economy.

WHEREAS, Californias transportation infrastructure is aging and in serious need of repair with the state facing a $59 billion shortfall to bring the existing state highway system to a state of good repair over the next decade and with California cities and counties facing a $78 billion shortfall in restoring their own systems over the same period; and

WHEREAS, California motorists spend $17 billion annually in extra maintenance and car repair bills, more than $700 per driver, due to the states poorly maintained roads; and

WHEREAS, Freight transportation is critical to the economic vitality of the United States and robust investment in safe and efficient transportation facilities and infrastructure is essential to promoting strong economic growth in California and throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, California has the most extensive, complex, and interconnected freight system in the country, including a system of seaports stretching from the City of Humboldt to the City of San Diego, six international land ports of entry along the United States-Mexico border, and a vast network of freight rail lines and truck routes which enable the state to serve as the nations gateway to international trade; and

WHEREAS, Californias freight network moves 1.8 billion tons of goods, valued at more than $2 trillion, throughout the state, the vast majority of which travels to destinations beyond the states borders; and

WHEREAS, Freight shipments into, out of, and within California are projected to grow approximately 180 percent by the year 2040; and

WHEREAS, Californias freight system is responsible for the creation of 800,000 freight jobs and stimulates the creation of millions of other jobs throughout the economy; and

WHEREAS, Expansion of public transportation is a key element of Californias strategy to improve mobility while meeting critical greenhouse gas reduction targets, yet the California Transit Association reports that the states public transit agencies face a 10-year $72 billion capital and operating shortfall; and

WHEREAS, In December 2015, the United States Congress passed, and President Barack Obama signed, the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), which represents the first long-term federal transportation bill in more than a decade; and

WHEREAS, The FAST Act provides California and other states with long-term certainty and stability in financing transportation projects by providing marginal increases in most existing highway and transit programs, as well as $2.1 billion annually in new freight investment; and

WHEREAS, The FAST Act still falls short of the level of investment needed to rebuild Californias and the nations infrastructure because the United States Congress has not raised the federal fuel excise tax that traditionally has funded transportation since 1993, and meanwhile, the tax has lost more than 55 percent of its purchasing power and Congress has been unable to agree on an alternative to restore that funding gap; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature commends Congress and the President of the United States for enacting the FAST Act to provide stability and reliability in federal transportation funding over the next five years; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges Congress and the President to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program at a level of $525 million in the 2017 fiscal year to provide additional critical transportation investment in California and elsewhere; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges Congress and the President to work together to finally find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax, and provide California and the rest of the country with the resources needed to rebuild its infrastructure, invest in its people through good, well-paying jobs, and restore our economy; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.

WHEREAS, Californias transportation infrastructure is aging and in serious need of repair with the state facing a $59 billion shortfall to bring the existing state highway system to a state of good repair over the next decade and with California cities and counties facing a $78 billion shortfall in restoring their own systems over the same period; and

WHEREAS, California motorists spend $17 billion annually in extra maintenance and car repair bills, more than $700 per driver, due to the states poorly maintained roads; and

WHEREAS, Freight transportation is critical to the economic vitality of the United States and robust investment in safe and efficient transportation facilities and infrastructure is essential to promoting strong economic growth in California and throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, California has the most extensive, complex, and interconnected freight system in the country, including a system of seaports stretching from the City of Humboldt to the City of San Diego, six international land ports of entry along the United States-Mexico border, and a vast network of freight rail lines and truck routes which enable the state to serve as the nations gateway to international trade; and

WHEREAS, Californias freight network moves 1.8 billion tons of goods, valued at more than $2 trillion, throughout the state, the vast majority of which travels to destinations beyond the states borders; and

WHEREAS, Freight shipments into, out of, and within California are projected to grow approximately 180 percent by the year 2040; and

WHEREAS, Californias freight system is responsible for the creation of 800,000 freight jobs and stimulates the creation of millions of other jobs throughout the economy; and

WHEREAS, Expansion of public transportation is a key element of Californias strategy to improve mobility while meeting critical greenhouse gas reduction targets, yet the California Transit Association reports that the states public transit agencies face a 10-year $72 billion capital and operating shortfall; and

WHEREAS, In December 2015, the United States Congress passed, and President Barack Obama signed, the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), which represents the first long-term federal transportation bill in more than a decade; and

WHEREAS, The FAST Act provides California and other states with long-term certainty and stability in financing transportation projects by providing marginal increases in most existing highway and transit programs, as well as $2.1 billion annually in new freight investment; and

WHEREAS, The FAST Act still falls short of the level of investment needed to rebuild Californias and the nations infrastructure because the United States Congress has not raised the federal fuel excise tax that traditionally has funded transportation since 1993, and meanwhile, the tax has lost more than 55 percent of its purchasing power and Congress has been unable to agree on an alternative to restore that funding gap; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature commends Congress and the President of the United States for enacting the FAST Act to provide stability and reliability in federal transportation funding over the next five years; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges Congress and the President to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program at a level of $525 million in the 2017 fiscal year to provide additional critical transportation investment in California and elsewhere; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges Congress and the President to work together to finally find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax, and provide California and the rest of the country with the resources needed to rebuild its infrastructure, invest in its people through good, well-paying jobs, and restore our economy; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.

WHEREAS, Californias transportation infrastructure is aging and in serious need of repair with the state facing a $59 billion shortfall to bring the existing state highway system to a state of good repair over the next decade and with California cities and counties facing a $78 billion shortfall in restoring their own systems over the same period; and

WHEREAS, California motorists spend $17 billion annually in extra maintenance and car repair bills, more than $700 per driver, due to the states poorly maintained roads; and

WHEREAS, Freight transportation is critical to the economic vitality of the United States and robust investment in safe and efficient transportation facilities and infrastructure is essential to promoting strong economic growth in California and throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, California has the most extensive, complex, and interconnected freight system in the country, including a system of seaports stretching from the City of Humboldt to the City of San Diego, six international land ports of entry along the United States-Mexico border, and a vast network of freight rail lines and truck routes which enable the state to serve as the nations gateway to international trade; and

WHEREAS, Californias freight network moves 1.8 billion tons of goods, valued at more than $2 trillion, throughout the state, the vast majority of which travels to destinations beyond the states borders; and

WHEREAS, Freight shipments into, out of, and within California are projected to grow approximately 180 percent by the year 2040; and

WHEREAS, Californias freight system is responsible for the creation of 800,000 freight jobs and stimulates the creation of millions of other jobs throughout the economy; and

WHEREAS, Expansion of public transportation is a key element of Californias strategy to improve mobility while meeting critical greenhouse gas reduction targets, yet the California Transit Association reports that the states public transit agencies face a 10-year $72 billion capital and operating shortfall; and

WHEREAS, In December 2015, the United States Congress passed, and President Barack Obama signed, the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), which represents the first long-term federal transportation bill in more than a decade; and

WHEREAS, The FAST Act provides California and other states with long-term certainty and stability in financing transportation projects by providing marginal increases in most existing highway and transit programs, as well as $2.1 billion annually in new freight investment; and

WHEREAS, The FAST Act still falls short of the level of investment needed to rebuild Californias and the nations infrastructure because the United States Congress has not raised the federal fuel excise tax that traditionally has funded transportation since 1993, and meanwhile, the tax has lost more than 55 percent of its purchasing power and Congress has been unable to agree on an alternative to restore that funding gap; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature commends Congress and the President of the United States for enacting the FAST Act to provide stability and reliability in federal transportation funding over the next five years; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges Congress and the President to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program at a level of $525 million in the 2017 fiscal year to provide additional critical transportation investment in California and elsewhere; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature urges Congress and the President to work together to finally find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax, and provide California and the rest of the country with the resources needed to rebuild its infrastructure, invest in its people through good, well-paying jobs, and restore our economy; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.

SENATE THIRD READING

STR Bill Id:SJR 24

Author:(Beall)

As Introduced Ver:August 2, 2016

Majority vote

SENATE VOTE: 38-0

SUMMARY: Urges Congress and the President to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program and to work together to find a long-term, sustainable funding solution for transportation. Specifically, this resolution:

1. Makes findings and declarations regarding the degraded condition of the state's transportation infrastructure, the economic importance of California's goods movement system, and the benefits to be realized from an expanded public transportation system.
2. Commends Congress and the President of the United States (U.S) for enacting the federal Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) to provide stability and reliability in federal transportation funding over the next five years.
3. Urges Congress and the President to fully fund the TIGER program at a level of $525 million in 2017 to provide additional critical transportation investments.
4. Urges Congress and the President to find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax.

FISCAL EFFECT: None. This resolution is keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.

COMMENTS: The highly competitive federal TIGER grant program supports innovative projects, which are difficult to fund through traditional federal programs. Since 2009, the TIGER grant program has provided a combined $5.1 billion to 421 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and tribal communities. These federal funds leverage money from private sector partners, states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and transit agencies.

Demand for the 2016 TIGER grant program continued to far exceed available funds. To illustrate, the United State Department of Transportation (Department) received 585 eligible applications from all 50 states, and several U.S. territories, tribal communities, cities, and towns throughout the United States, collectively requesting over $9.3 billion in funding. During the previous seven rounds, the Department received more than 7,300 applications requesting more than $143 billion for transportation projects.

The TIGER program is slated to be funded at the $525 million level for Fiscal Year 2017. This resolution encourages Congress and the President to follow through with this commitment and also to find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to the nation's under-funded transportation infrastructure system.

Analysis Prepared by: Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN: 0004970

Date of Hearing: August 29, 2016

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Jim Frazier, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SJR 24

Author:(Beall) – As Introduced Ver:August 2, 2016

SENATE VOTE: 38-0

SUBJECT: Federal transportation funding

SUMMARY: Urges Congress and the President to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program and to work together to find a long-term, sustainable funding solution for transportation. Specifically, this resolution:

1. Makes findings and declarations regarding the degraded condition of the state's transportation infrastructure, the economic importance of California's goods movement system, and the benefits to be realized from an expanded public transportation system.
2. Commends Congress and the President of the United States for enacting the federal Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) to provide stability and reliability in federal transportation funding over the next five years.
3. Urges Congress and the President to fully fund the TIGER program at a level of $525 million in 2017 to provide additional critical transportation investments.
4. Urges Congress and the President to find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax.

FISCAL EFFECT: None, this resolution is keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.

COMMENTS: The highly competitive federal TIGER grant program supports innovative projects, which are difficult to fund through traditional federal programs.  Since 2009, the TIGER grant program has provided a combined $5.1 billion to 421 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and tribal communities.  These federal funds leverage money from private sector partners, states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and transit agencies. 

Demand for the 2016 TIGER grant program continued to far exceed available funds. To illustrate, the United State Department of Transportation (Department) received 585 eligible applications from all 50 states, and several U.S. territories, tribal communities, cities, and towns throughout the United States, collectively requesting over $9.3 billion in funding. During the previous seven rounds, the Department received more than 7,300 applications requesting more than $143 billion for transportation projects. 

The TIGER program is slated to be funded at the $525 million level for Fiscal Year 2017. This resolution encourages Congress and the President to follow through with this commitment and also to find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to the nation's under-funded transportation infrastructure system.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093

 THIRD READING 

Bill No: SJR 24

Author: Beall (D)

Introduced: 8/2/16

Vote: 21

SUBJECT: Federal transportation funding

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This resolution urges the Congress and the President of the United States to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program at a level of $525 million in the 2017 fiscal year to provide additional critical investment in California and elsewhere.

ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings:

1. California’s transportation infrastructure is aging and in serious need of repair with the state facing a $59 billion shortfall to bring the existing state highway system to a state of good repair over the next decade and with California cities and counties facing a $78 billion shortfall in restoring their own systems over the same period.
2. California motorists spend $17 billion annually in extra maintenance and car repair bills, more than $700 per driver, due to the state’s poorly maintained roads.
3. Freight transportation is critical to the economic vitality of the United States and robust investment in safe and efficient transportation facilities and infrastructure is essential to promoting strong economic growth in California and throughout the nation.
4. California has the most extensive, complex, and interconnected freight system in the country, including a system of seaports stretching from the City of Humboldt to the City of San Diego, six international land ports of entry along the United States-Mexico border, and a vast network of freight rail lines and truck routes which enable the state to serve as the nation’s gateway to international trade.
5. California’s freight system is responsible for the creation of 800,000 freight jobs and stimulates the creation of millions of other jobs throughout the economy.
6. Expansion of public transportation is a key element of California’s strategy to improve mobility while meeting critical greenhouse gas reduction targets, yet the California Transit Association reports that the state’s public transit agencies face a 10-year $72 billion capital and operating shortfall.
7. In December 2015, the United States Congress passed, and President Barack Obama signed, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), which represents the first long-term federal transportation bill in more than a decade, and The FAST Act provides California and other states with long-term certainty and stability in financing transportation projects by providing marginal increases in most existing highway and transit programs, as well as $2.1 billion annually in new freight investment.

This resolution:

1. Commends Congress and the President of the United States for enacting the FAST Act to provide stability and reliability in federal transportation funding over the next five years.
2. Urges Congress and the President to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program at a level of $525 million in the 2017 fiscal year to provide additional critical transportation investment in California and elsewhere.
3. Urges Congress and the President to work together to finally find a long-term, sustainable funding solution to restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax, and provide California and the rest of the country with the resources needed to rebuild its infrastructure, invest in its people through good, well-paying jobs, and restore our economy.

Background

Since 2009, the TIGER grant program has provided a combined $5.1 billion to 421 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and tribal communities. These federal funds leverage money from private sector partners, states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations and transit agencies. The 2016 TIGER round alone is leveraging nearly $500 million in federal investment to support $1.74 billion in overall transportation investments.

Demand for the 2016 TIGER grant program continued to far exceed available funds; the DOT received 585 eligible applications from all 50 States, and several U.S. territories, tribal communities, cities, and towns throughout the United States, collectively requesting over $9.3 billion in funding. During the previous seven rounds, the Department received more than 7,300 applications requesting more than $143 billion for transportation projects across the country.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/9/16)

None received

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/9/16)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author:

This bill would encourage Congress to fully fund the Transportation Investment Generating Economy Recovery (TIGER) program at a level of $525 million in the 2017 fiscal year.

This is a long term sustainable funding solution that will provide additional critical transportation investment in California and elsewhere, restore the lost purchasing power of the federal fuel excise tax, provide California and the rest of the country with resources to rebuild its infrastructure, invest in its people through good, well-paying jobs, and help robustly restore our economy.

Prepared by: Jonas Austin / SFA / (916) 651-1520

8/10/16 15:34:54

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