Accountability is Job One.

January 26th, 2006

Who’ll make sure the plan is done right and on budget? Your neighbors.

A plan to implement groups and processes is already in place to ensure that our local leaders carry out the Transportation Plan as promised and that our tax money is spent responsibly.

One of the most important ways our community leaders will be held responsible is through citizens just like you.

Each year, the Regional Transportation Authority will publish a public annual report on exactly how the Plan is progressing and how our tax dollars were spent.

Once approved by voters, the plan cannot be substantially altered without another vote. State statutes require that if there is more than a 10 percent change in expenses on implementing any of the Plan’s transportation modes, this change must go back to the voters for additional review and approval.

The RTA Citizen Advisory Committee urged the RTA board to strengthen these safeguards even further, and they responded. On April 12, they unanimously adopted a binding resolution requiring that the voter-approved projects be funded at the minimum levels indicated on the ballot. No projects can be changed or eliminated after the voters approve the plan on May 16 without going back out to the voters for approval once again. Period.

Throughout the process of creating the plan citizens have been involved and that won’t change. A 35-member Citizens Advisory Committee helped draft the plan. The plan was presented at 27 public meetings, and as a result of citizens’ input the plan was revised several times.

Citizens will continue to provide oversight and accountability once the plan is implemented. A Citizens Oversight Committee will appraise and analyze expenses and evaluate the progress of the plan and make the results known to the public. The Citizens Oversight Committee will be a fierce watchdog to make sure our tax money is spent responsibly.

Plans are also in place to ensure that businesses and neighborhoods that may be affected by construction have input into the process. In order to stay accountable to local citizens, the neighborhoods and businesses located in each of the designated road improvement projects will be involved in the planning of the changes.

To be responsible to small businesses the RTA plan has a $10 million small business assistance program that will include extensive advance communication as well as consulting services for any businesses that may experience an impact from construction.

The bottom line is that those most affected by the changes will take priority in the final development.

The plan will remain balanced and it’s funded in the most equitable way possible. Everyone, including our many visitors, will help pay for the plan and there will be no tax on essentials such as groceries and prescriptions.

In addition to local responsibility, the RTA plan is also accountable to federal law that requires financial feasibility and air quality requirements.

Rightly so, citizens will want to know that their tax dollars are being spent wisely every step of the way to truly make our entire region safer and healthier through transportation improvements.

Through local leadership that we elect, continued regional cooperation, and the dedicated oversight of citizens, we can be sure that the plan and the sales tax increase that we approve in May develop into the transportation improvements that will benefit our entire region for years to come.

Entry Filed under: Home Page Feature, Accountability