Palo Alto Daily Post: Emails refute Measure B claims
Palo Alto Daily Post - October 30, 2008
E-mails refute BART tax claims
Proponents of a one-eighth cent sales tax increase in Santa Clara County say it will cover all the costs of running BART to San Jose - but newly uncovered e-mails show BART officials disagree.
Thousands of pages of emails between transportation officials obtained by a group opposing Measure B show that BART officials wouldn’t give assurance to the Valley Transportation Authority that the $42 million raised by the sales tax hike would pay to operate BART.
“If asked if $42m is enough, I don’t believe we are in a position to say yes,” wrote BART General Mananger Dorothy Dugger in an Aug. 20 e-mail to VTA head Michael Burns. “Until we have an operating plan we really don’t know what the costs are.” Burns was asking Dugger for help responding to a statement in the Mercury News that VTA’s annual obligation to BART was $48 million, not the $42 million the sales tax hike is estimated to generate.
“This won’t go away without something from BART. Dorothy - can you help,” Burns wrote on Aug. 20.
Dugger responded hesitantly, saying BART didn’t want to be responsible for the $42 million number.
‘Not looking for agreement’
“We’re not looking for BART agreement on numbers,” Burns replied later that day. “I understand that BART wouldn’t want to do that.”
Burns went on to say that VTA was obligated to pay BART whatever the costs of operating and maintaining the line to San Jose turn out to be.
“VTA will pay actual cost,” Burns wrote. “If greater than 48 VTA will pay.”
The e-mails, obtained by a group that opposes Measure B called BayRail Alliance, follow revelations earlier this week that VTA officials worked very closely - critics said illegally - with campaigners for Measure B. E-mails between the two groups showed public officials at VTA helping the campaigners wrote literature, draw maps and prepare to argue in favor of the sales tax increase.
Opponents of Measure B said the new BART e-mails strength the case against Measure B.
‘Political cover’
“It means that the VTA board placed a tax measure on the ballot without even knowing what the costs of the project are going to be,” said No on B spokeswoman Margaret Okuzumi. “VTA is attempting to obscure this, to hide this, to get some kind of political cover from BART.”
Representatives of VTA and BART last night said that studies by their consultants showed the sales tax increase will cover the cost of BART-to-San Jose operations.
“This sales tax is a supplement to the whole financial picture to meet the agreement with BART,” BART spokesman Linton Johnson said.
—
Palo Alto Daily Post 10/27: Emails reveal VTA’s role
Palo Alto Daily Post 10/28: VTA’s divided loyalties
