HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 83-2023 (23-431)• City of South San Francisco P.O. Box 711 (City Hall, 400
Grand Avenue)
City Council South San Francisco, CA
Resolution: RES 83-2023
File Number: 23-431 Enactment Number: RES 83-2023
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN A
LETTER OF SUPPORT URGING THE GOVERNOR AND
CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATORS TO PRIORITIZE A
MULTI-YEAR FUNDING PACKAGE FOR TRANSIT
AGENCIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA
WHEREAS, public transit is essential to the functioning of California's economy and to mobility
within its cities, is relied upon by millions of disproportionately low-income Californians for their basic
daily needs, and is an instrumental part of California's long-term emissions reductions goals to combat
climate change; and
WHEREAS, public transit agencies across California are facing devastating financial forecasts in
the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, if agencies do not receive relief money, many will be forced to cut service and raise
fares substantially, rendering their services unusable; and
WHEREAS, public transit is a public utility that ought to be high-quality, equitable, and
accessible; and
WHEREAS, State lawmakers have the ability to provide relief funding to transit agencies,
avoiding catastrophic fare increases and service cuts and further strengthening transit.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of South San Francisco that
the City will send a letter to State Legislature and its local state legislative delegation, urging the Governor,
Assemblymembers and Senators to prioritize public transit funding in 2023-24 budget negotiations.
Exhibit A: South San Francisco Letter of Support
At a meeting of the City Council on 5/24/2023, a motion was made by Councilmember Addiego,
seconded by Councilmember Coleman, that this Resolution be approved. The motion passed.
Yes: 4 Vice Mayor Nagales, Councilmember Addiego, Councilmember Coleman,
and Councilmember Flores
Absent: 1 Mayor Nicolas
Attest by r
Rosa ovea Acosta, City Clerk
City of South San Francisco
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
May 25, 2023
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor, State of California
State Capitol, First Floor Sacramento, CA 95814
The Honorable Senator Scott Weiner
Senate District 11
1021 O Street, Suite 8620
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900
The Honorable Senator Josh Becker
Senate District 13
State Capitol, Room 3076
Sacramento, CA 95814
The Honorable Assemblymember Phil Ting
Assembly District 19
State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0019
The Honorable Assemblymember Diane Papan
Assembly District 21
Capitol Office, 10210 Street, Suite 4220
Sacramento, CA 94249-0021
Honorable California Legislator:
CITY COUNCIL 2023
FLOR NICOLAS, MAYOR (DIST. 3)
MARK NAGALES, VICE MAYOR (DIST. 2)
MARK ADDIEGO, MEMBER (DIST. 1)
JAMES COLEMAN, MEMBER (DIST. 4)
EDDIE FLORES, MEMBER (DIST. 5)
SHARON RANALS, CITY MANAGER
As FY 2023-24 budget negotiations continue, South San Francisco strongly urges you to
strengthen California's economy, increase job access for all, reduce traffic congestion, clean our
air, and decrease climate change emissions by prioritizing a multi-year funding package for transit
agencies across California to prevent severe service cuts, adapt to changing travel patterns and
regrow ridership.
COVID fundamentally changed how people in South San Francisco live, work, and travel for their
daily needs. Ridership continues to recover across the State and although agencies are responding
to the changing needs of their communities as quickly as possible, it may be years before many
agencies are financially stable again.
Transit agencies across the state are on the brink of collapse and unless state lawmakers step in
and save California's transit agencies, services will be cut, stations will be shuttered, and more
City Hall: 400 Grand Avenue - South San Francisco, CA 94080 • P.O. Box 711 - South San Francisco, CA 94083
Phone: 650.877.8500 - Fax: 650.829.6609 - E-mail: [email protected]
City of South San Francisco
Public Transportation Letter of Support
Page 2 of 2
Californians will be forced off transit and into already clogged, polluting, and expensive highways
— or simply be stranded without access to vital jobs, services, and community connections that
they currently access through transit.
Whether or not they use transit, all Californians depend on healthy transit systems. Every person
on a bus or train is one less car on the road competing for parking and increasing wear and tear on
the state's costly highway system. Public transit is essential to California's economy and to the
everyday lives of millions of Californians.
Without state funding to address their budget shortfalls, transit operators across California will be
forced to implement drastic service cuts that will send public transit into a death spiral and lead to
irreversible disinvestment in an essential public utility. Rising fares and degraded service will
cause transit ridership to fall dramatically across the State, which will further decrease transit
agencies' revenue. This will further starve transit agencies, and routes and services will be cut
across California. In other words, if the State takes no action, declining public transit ridership will
reverse the State's investments in an integrated, multimodal transportation network that builds on
our existing infrastructure.
Millions of Californians rely on public transportation to access work, school, and other destinations
each day. Slashing public transit service would exacerbate poverty throughout California
substantially reducing access to jobs, education, and healthcare for low-income Californians.
Supporting and expanding transit cleans our air and helps the state meet its climate goals. While
California has made strides on reducing other climate change emission sources, tailpipe emissions
and other local air pollutants from gas and electric cars exacerbate poor air quality which causes
thousands of premature deaths in California each year. California cannot be a climate leader
without robust public transportation, and allowing our transit systems to fall into disarray would
run entirely contrary to our climate goals.
We must save public transportation in California. Our state depends on it, and we look forward to
working with you to build a more prosperous, secure, and clean California for all by ensuring that
transit agencies receive the emergency funding and ongoing investment they need.
Sincerely,
Flor Nicolas, Mayor
City of South San Francisco