Asphalt industry leaders return to the state Capitol to build relationships, promote road repairs

By Russell W. Snyder

The voice of the asphalt pavement industry in California could be heard echoing loud and clear in the halls and offices of the state Capitol as CalAPA leaders met with lawmakers and staffers to refocus attention on fixing roads and the connection of those investments on jobs, the state's economy and quality of life.

The association's annual inperson "Fly-in" to the state Capitol, derailed the past three years due to COVID-19 disruptions, was especially timely as there are dozens of newly elected members to the Legislature and also various hearings coming up on transportation funding and bills that may impact the asphalt pavement industry.

Some newer members of the Legislature, for example, may not be as well-versed in the history of Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 that is generating more than $50 billion to fix roads, bridges and other critical transportation infrastructure. The bill was passed by a two-thirds majority of the Legislature in 2017, and was endorsed by voters in 2018 when a repeal measure was soundly defeated at the ballot box. Other new members of the Legislature, particularly those with local government experience, were acutely aware of the importance of SB1 to local street repairs. CalAPA is the only statewide construction trade association that exclusively focuses on asphalt, and has a reputation at the Capitol, earned over many years, for being a credible source of expertise. Ensuring that there are adequate funds to repair roads is Priority

1 for the association, as well as ensuring those funds are used properly.

The CalAPA delegation engaged in productive discussions with members of the Legislature on how SB1 dollars are being expended amid persistent complaints by the road-building industry that roadrepair projects do not seem to be tracking with the funds generated by SB1's fuel-tax increase. SB1 was sold as a "fix it first" measure to address years of deferred maintenance, but so far has not had the major impact its backers

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[ Continued from page 18 ] had hoped. The same week as the March 7-8 Fly-in, Caltrans Director Tony Tavares announced in a meeting with construction industry representatives that the recent series of powerful storms that have been pummeling the state have caused about $1 billion worth of damage to state and local routes, with the potential for the bill to continue to rise in the weeks ahead.

The CalAPA delegation for this initial round of meetings included CalAPA Chairman Jeff Benedict with Valero Energy, past Chairman Jordan Reed with George Reed Co., Vice Chairman Scott Metcalf with Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Board member and Legislative Committee Chairman Steve Ward with Pavement Recycling Systems, and Gary Houston with Valero Energy. Kevin Weddel with Golden State Natural Gas Systems was not an official participant in the Fly-in, but stopped by a lunchtime briefing at the historic Sutter Club in downtown Sacramento to wish the group well. CalAPA's longtime Capitol Advocate, Jeff Sievers with Carpenter Garcia Sievers, coordinated the meetings, assisted by Holly Lucido in his office. Another longtime Capitol fixture, Eloy Garcia, who recently joined the firm, addended a special dinner at the Sutter Club attended by three members of the Legislature.

The meetings are just one component of CalAPA's high-impact legislative engagement strategy, which also includes plant and construction project and plant tours, alignment with other like-minded entities and coordinating with national partners, as well as a robust Political Action Committee fund to support state candidates that support prudent investments to maintain California's vital transportation infrastructure. Many members of the state Legislature who have interacted with CalAPA over the years end up in Congress and bring with them a familiarity with asphalt and its essential role in California's infrastructure. Asphalt covers about 95% of paved surfaces in California, and is durable, safe, cost-effective and 100% recyclable.

The delegation met with numerous elected officials, including state Senators Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, Richard Roth, D-Riverside, Bob Archuleta, D-Norwalk, Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks and Catherine Blakespear,

D-Encinitas. The group also met with Assemblymembers Juan Carrillo, D-Palmdale, Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, Blanca Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, Greg Wallis, R-Palm Springs, and Tri Ta, R-Westminster. Carrillo, Soria, Valencia, Wallis and Blakespear are new members of the Legislature in 2023. The meetings also included several key staff members.

The delegation shared briefing papers about the asphalt industry in California, including a backgrounder that is also posted on the CalAPA website, and another fact sheet that focuses on asphalt plants and communities. For more information about

CalAPA's advocacy efforts on behalf of the asphalt pavement industry in California, visit the CalAPA website at www.calapa. net .More photos from last week's Capitol Fly-in can be found sprinkled throughout CalAPA’s social media feeds, including the CalAPA Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram channels.

CalAPA members who would like to volunteer to serve on the Legislative Committee should contact Russell W. Snyder, CalAPA Executive Director, at (916) 791-5044. CA