General Infrastructure

Infrastructure

General Infrastructure

The GCVCC supports a comprehensive approach to addressing the State’s infrastructure needs and will work with the administration, legislature, and municipal and special district officials to ensure that a proportional share of State and federal infrastructure funds are secured for Riverside County projects. Comprehensive infrastructure improvements include: natural gas and electric transmission and distribution systems; transportation funding to repair roadways, reduce congestion, improve bridge safety, expand public transit, to include rail and airports; as well as policies that promote water conservation and improved delivery systems, along with funding advanced flood control systems.

Investing a portion of State revenues in infrastructure leverages existing dollars and financing mechanisms and fosters public-private partnerships. A solid commitment to infrastructure investment is critical to the State’s economic vitality. Public policies should promote annual State, local, and private investments in infrastructure sufficient to meet the expanding needs of a growing population and a dynamic and healthy economy and to protect existing public and private infrastructure investments.

Positions

I-1: Supports protecting dedicated transportation-related tax revenues, annual funding to maintain and enhance personal mobility, and the movement of goods and services.

I-2: Supports Mileage Based Road Usage Charges to eventually replace gas tax for more equitable distribution of tax burdens.

I-3: Supports investment strategies based on sound science and public policy criteria that direct resources into the most needed regional and local infrastructure categories and leverage State and federal dollars, maximizing the return on existing infrastructure investments.

I-4: Supports Priority funding or financing tools for joint-use, public-private infrastructure plans and projects.

I-5: Supports adequate investment in surface water impounds, recycle and reuse projects, and groundwater storage systems that protect the State from droughts, earthquakes, and other events that would otherwise cause significant economic dislocations, loss of human lives, or the loss of significant natural resources.

I-6: Supports fair-share federal and State funding to Riverside County based on population, urban nature, and the amount of tax revenue contributed to federal and State budgets.

I-7: Supports restrictions on growth control policies and “smart” growth initiatives that may result in unintended consequences such as unreasonably higher housing costs, increased commute times that impact individuals and families, limited housing supplies that impact labor supplies, and unreasonably inflated land values that limit economic expansion.

I-8: Supports accelerated project delivery through streamlined environmental delegation and increased authority to local California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Districts and through use of alternative project delivery methods such as design-build, public-private partnerships, etc.

I-9:Supports fair distribution of sales tax revenues based on origination point of sale rather than distribution.