Who’s making the Treasure Valley’s future brighter? Honor them with a nomination for a COMPASS Leadership in Motion award!

Where do you see yourself in 2040? Do you think you’ll still be living in the Treasure Valley? I do.

As I look forward, I have confidence that the Treasure Valley will continue to be a vibrant, wonderful place to live.

How do I know that? I am privileged to know and work with many of our local leaders – from elected officials to professionals to volunteers – on a daily basis. I witness the dedication and hard work each puts forth as they do their part to make our future brighter. I am also fortunate enough to see the results of their labors. I get to watch as forward-thinking people move projects from ideas to completion.

Each December I have the opportunity to shine a spotlight on these amazing leaders and projects as the COMPASS Board chair and I present the Leadership in Motion awards.

But, before we can do that, we need your help.

Think about who, or what project or business, is making the Treasure Valley a better place by implementing Communities in Motion, the regional long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon Counties, then nominate them for a Leadership in Motion award. The process is simple and quick.

Are you skeptical of how a transportation plan could lead to a brighter future? There is a lot more to Communities in Motion 2040 than you might think. Transportation impacts all aspects of our lives, from our health to our housing costs – issues that directly affect quality of life. Communities in Motion examines these connections and sets goals that address many of the issues that impact, and are impacted by, transportation.

I encourage you to look at who won last year and to review the Communities in Motion 2040 goals as you consider who, or what, to nominate. Many types of projects and people are implementing Communities in Motion through their good works even outside of the transportation profession. Anyone may submit a nomination and anything or anyone (other than COMPASS staff) is eligible to be nominated.

Nominations for COMPASS Leadership in Motion awards can be submitted here and will be accepted through 3:00 pm, Wednesday, September 30, 2015. Need some help? Click to watch a short video on how to submit a nomination.

Awards will be presented at the COMPASS/Valley Regional Transit holiday luncheon on Monday, December 21, 2015.

Treasure Valley: On the Go! photo contest

I am constantly “on the go,” and I bet you are too. Whether you’re taking a vanpool to work, walking your kids to school, zipping around town on a Boise GreenBike, or driving an 18-wheeler, you are using the Treasure Valley’s transportation system.

In the next update to Communities in Motion (Communities in Motion 2040 2.0) we’ll be focusing on how the individual components of our transportation system – roadways, walking and biking, freight, and public transportation -- work together to support the Treasure Valley, and we need your help.

COMPASS wants your photos that show the many ways Treasure Valley residents are “on the go.” We’ll then use your pictures in a 2017 Treasure Valley: On the Go! calendar to help spread the word on how all parts of our transportation system fit together.

So, what do we want you to do? 

• Take photos of any or all of the four transportation components that will be the focus of Communities in Motion 2040:
• Roadways
• Walking and biking
• Public transportation
• Freight (rail, trucks, and/or farm freight) 

• Send them to us any time before July 31, 2016. Use your camera to capture how you are “on the go” during all seasons, from your snowy bike ride in January to your leisurely drive in the convertible in June. 

• Vote on your favorite photos in September 2016. 

• Be famous! COMPASS will include the winning photos in its 2017 Treasure Valley: On the Go! photo calendar. 

Be part of the conversation. The Treasure Vallet: On the Go! photo contest and calendar will kick off our discussion with you - Treasure Valley residents - on how you want to see these individual transportation components.

Be creative! Be artistic! Be serious! Be silly! But most of all, be involved!

Get all the details: www.compassidaho.org/prodserv/CIM2040_20_photocontest.html. 

How do you read the TIP?

In my last blog post (July 21, see below) regarding public comment (open through August 18) on the Regional Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP, I discussed some overarching questions of the “what” and “why” of the TIP.

In this post, I’m getting deep into the details of how to read – and understand – a TIP project entry.

While every project is different, each project has an entry similar to the one below. I’ve described what each of the elements of the entry are and what they mean to you.

A. Project Title. This provides a high level description of the project and generally includes the project type and where the project is.

B. Key #. This is a unique identification number. It is useful if you want to follow the progress of a project over the years and can be used to search for a project within a TIP document.

C. Requesting Agency: This tells you what agency will receive the funding, do the work, and (usually) is providing the local match, when applicable. In short, it is who “owns” the project.

D. Project Year: This is the last year for which the project is funded. Generally, this is the year the project will be completed.

E. Total Previous Expenditures: The dollar amount shown here represents money approved to be spent prior to the current TIP (in this case, FY2016). Many projects take several years to complete and may have been started before the first year shown in the current TIP. For example, if a project began in 2015, the money approved for expenditure in FY2015 would not be included in the table, as the table begins with FY2016, so it is shown here. If this is blank, it means that no money was approved for expenditure before the first year shown in the table.

F. Total Programmed Cost: This is the total of the costs budgeted in this TIP, as shown in the table. It does not include any previous expenditures.

G. Total Cost: This is the full cost – money already approved plus money budgeted but not yet spent across all years. It is the sum of the “total previous expenditures” and “total programmed cost.” For consistency, all dollar amounts shown in the TIP are in “current” dollars – not adjusted for inflation.

H. Project Description: This describes the project in more detail than the project title and project type, above. Note that maintenance projects typically have a broad description, as they encompass many individual projects. The requesting agency will have more details on these, particularly as the project year approaches. Links to those agencies are provided in the TIP.

I. Funding Source: This refers to the type of funding used for that project (e.g., “Bridge” or “STP”). A description of the funding sources and their abbreviations can be found here. Note that an individual project can have multiple funding sources and that each funding source has its own table, showing how the funds will be spent, and in which year(s).

J. Local Match: This shows how much of the total project will be paid for with local funds -- usually by the “requesting agency,” though in some cases other agencies may contribute as well. As can be seen in the table, the majority of the funding for these projects is federal.

K. Table Column Headings: Each of these (preliminary engineering, right-of-way, etc.) describe the type of activity the funds will be spent on. The “total” column shows a sum of all types of expenditures for each year. The “federal share” and “local share” headings show how federal and local funds are divided each year. Added together, these also sum to the amount in the “total” column for each year.

L. PD: This row (short for “preliminary development”) shows projects where some initial work is budgeted (e.g., purchasing land for right-of-way), but there is not funding budgeted for project construction. Projects listed in PD must show the total cost (all years), regardless of how far into the future the project may be completed. These costs are included in the “total programmed costs” discussed above.

M. Fund Totals: These show the total amounts budgeted for each type of activity across all years shown in the TIP. The “total” is a sum of all types of expenditures (preliminary engineering through construction) and is also a sum of the federal and local shares.

Confused? I get it.

The “shorthand” helps make the document more succinct, which makes it easier to use and navigate, yet at the same time the abbreviations and technical terms require some assistance to understand. It’s a catch-22.

I hope this helps. Don’t hesitate to contact COMPASS at 208/855-2558 or info@compassidaho.org with questions, and remember to comment on the draft TIP by August 18 to share your thoughts on proposed projects.

What the heck is the TIP, anyway?

It’s that time again. Public comment is open now, through August 18, on projects in the draft FY2016 - 2020 Regional Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP. As always, the TIP project list is large and complicated, and the overall “what” and “why” of the TIP is often lost amidst the details.

Below, I tackle some of the common questions I hear about the TIP, to help you as you consider your comments. 

• What is the TIP?
• Why does it matter?
• Why are you asking for public comment?
• What should I comment on?
• Why is it so hard to understand?
• Are there tricks (or “TIPS”) to finding projects I’m interested in? 

1. What is the TIP? The TIP is a five-year budget of federally funded and “regionally significant” transportation projects in Ada and Canyon Counties. Essentially, it is a list of transportation projects that fall into these categories, with information on the project budgets. (What constitutes a “regionally significant” project is another discussion; for now, just assume it is exactly what it sounds like…a project that is big enough that it is significant to the region.) The TIP is based on the federal fiscal year, which runs from October 1 - September 30. Federal fiscal year 2016 begins on October 1, 2015.

While it is a five-year budget, we update it yearly to add one year to the end. For example, the current TIP covers fiscal years 2015 - 2019; the draft TIP (open for public comment) covers fiscal years 2016 - 2020. The entire TIP does not change each year. New projects are added (usually to the last year) and old projects are completed and removed, but most projects simply move from one year to the next as they work their way to completion.

Think of it like a detailed, five-year budget for your child’s college education, with you, your child, and multiple sources of financial aid all contributing. You need to track how much each aspect of college will cost (tuition, housing, fees, books, etc.), what each type of financial aid can and cannot be used for, and who is paying for how much of each item each year. It gets complicated quickly.

2. Why does it matter? Transportation projects are expensive, time consuming, and often take years to plan and execute. Just as you would not plan for how you plan to pay for your child’s freshman year of college without looking beyond that to other years, transportation agencies need to plan ahead to budget and schedule their funding to ensure all their “ducks are in a row” when it comes time to actually build a project. And…it’s required. Federal funds cannot be spent on transportation projects without them being budgeted in an approved TIP (or the statewide equivalent).

3. Why are you asking for public comment? 

• These projects are being paid for using your tax dollars.
• The projects have the potential to affect you, your commute, and your quality of life. 

You have a right and a responsibility to review how your tax dollars are proposed to be spent and to ask questions and share your agreement, or disagreement, with the projects selected. COMPASS staff considers all public comments, passes them along to the relevant agencies, and provides them to the COMPASS Board for consideration before any final decisions are made.

4. What should I comment on? While you can comment on any aspect of the TIP, it is the proposed projects themselves – or changes to projects already in the TIP – that have the most impact on you as an individual. Look at projects near where you live or work, or projects along your commute. Do you agree with what is proposed? Are there other projects, that aren’t listed, that you think are more important? Keep in mind that the TIP is a budget – it tells you what projects have been proposed, along with a brief description, where they would be, and when they would take place. It does NOT address details such as project design. That comes later. Your chance to comment on design is facilitated by the agency who is in charge of the project.

5. Why is the TIP so hard to understand? The TIP is designed to provide a lot of information – much of which is complicated even on its own. While some details may seem unnecessary to you, those details are important to someone else. For example, you may only care about the project description, while someone else may only care about the cost of the project, and a third person may only care about who is paying for it. The TIP provides all those details in one place.

6. Are there tricks (or “TIPS”) to finding projects I’m interested in? There are two quick things you can do to help you find projects you may be interested in.

Search. If you are looking at the document online (in PDF format), push the “Ctrl” key then “F” at the same time, to activate the “find” function. You’ll see a box appear in the upper right corner of your screen. Use this to type in key words to search for projects you care about. For example, if you want to know what is planned for Cole Road, type in “Cole” and click “next.”

Use the “Major Changes” list. This list – available during the public comment period – highlights projects that are new, removed, advanced, or delayed in the draft new TIP as compared to the current TIP. Many projects remain in the TIP for the full five years of the budget (or longer). The “major changes” list helps you focus on what is new or changed by weeding out projects that are simply continuing on their multi-year tracks.

Want more help? Watch for my next blog on how to read the TIP project list. In the meantime, you can always contact COMPASS staff for assistance by calling 855-2558 or info@compassidaho.org. 

What will 7¢ a gallon save you?

On July 1, our state fuel tax will increase by 7¢ per gallon, and our annual vehicle registration fees will increase as well. In total, the increases are expected to raise nearly $95 million in additional transportation funding per year. That “new” money will be used to help address a $262 million backlog, statewide, in transportation maintenance.

I like low gas prices as much as the next person, but I’ll be glad to see the increase. While I understand that even small increases in fuel costs can be tough, especially when budgets are tight, we all will reap the benefits. You might even save some money!

Transportation delays, caused by everything from a lack of maintenance to a lack of capacity to a traffic wreck, have economic and social costs — to individuals, to businesses, and to the community. A poorly maintained or inefficient transportation system costs you time, and, quite literally, costs you money.

Time you lose with your friends and family can’t be replaced. While it’s hard to put a dollar value on missing your daughter’s first “at bat” in softball or your son’s band concert, because you were stuck in traffic, you know you’ll never get those moments back. They are truly priceless.

On the other end of your commute, if you and your coworkers are chronically late due to traffic, that can impact your employer’s bottom line, which can trickle down and affect you. Lower profits can lead to fewer raises, less benefits, and even layoffs. 

We all also pay for an inefficient transportation system in the goods we buy. If a trucking company must reroute its trucks to avoid a weight restricted bridge or plan for extra travel time to account for being stuck in traffic, they are going to charge more to haul their goods. That cost eventually works its way to us – the consumers. The more it costs to ship a loaf of bread from the bakery to the store, the more we pay for it.

In addition to costs of delay, we also all pay more to maintain our cars if we drive on poorly maintained roads. Have you ever hit a big pothole and knew immediately you just knocked your wheels out of alignment? That is a direct cost to you of a poorly maintained road. According to a national transportation research group, the average motorist pays about $377 per year in additional vehicle operating costs as a result of driving on bad roads. Tire wear, front end alignments, and other maintenance costs are accelerated and compounded when roads fall into disrepair. In addition, you also pay the cost of the fuel you burn when stuck in traffic, going nowhere.

So, while you will be paying more at the pump and when you register your car, you’ll also have savings in other areas. Unfortunately, those savings aren’t as easy to see. It’s hard to notice what you don’t pay – the loaf of bread that didn’t cost more because of extra transportation costs, the alignment you didn’t have to get because you didn’t hit that pothole, the family event you weren’t late for.

As you fill your tank for the first time after the tax increase in July, pause for a moment to consider what those extra few cents are buying you.

Don’t let the Treasure Valley fall through the cracks

Congress needs to step up, too

On April 11, 2015, the Idaho legislature passed a bill to increase funding to maintain Idaho’s roads and bridges by nearly $95 million per year. It was a much-needed boost for Idaho’s – and the Treasure Valley’s – transportation system.

However, call me greedy, but it is not enough. COMPASS estimates a $159 million per year shortfall for Ada and Canyon Counties alone. While the additional funding will help, it will be divided statewide, so will only represent a drop in the bucket for the Treasure Valley.

We’ll continue to work with Idaho citizens and the Idaho legislature to find ways to meet transportation funding needs. However, while the Idaho legislature made some much-needed progress in 2015, the burden doesn’t fall entirely on them. Congress needs to step up, too.

There are two interrelated issues on the federal level that are hampering our ability to address our transportation needs.

First, we need new federal transportation legislation. The current act, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century, or “MAP-21,” expires May 31, 2015 – just 13 days from now! This bill was passed in July 2012 and was originally set to expire – and be replaced with a new bill – no later than October 2014. Shortly before the bill expired, Congress extended it until May 31, 2015.

May 31 is coming quickly and it appears that members of Congress will once again pass a short-term extension. These short-term extensions simply delay substantive action and hamper the ability of local and state transportation agencies to implement transportation projects.

Without a long-term transportation authorization bill, federal transportation funding will continue to be distributed in drips and drabs. The transportation bill is what allows the federal government to distribute federal transportation funding around the nation. If the bill were to expire without being extended, federally funded transportation projects would grind to a halt, as funding cannot be distributed without a transportation bill to authorize that distribution.

Planning for future projects would also stall, because states and regions don’t know how much funding they can expect in the long term, and what policy or priority changes a new authorization bill might bring. Plus, as projects delay, project costs increase, thus putting additional burden on the already strapped Highway Trust Fund.

This, in turn, brings us to the second issue: federal transportation funding. Quite simply, the federal Highway Trust Fund is running out of money. The fund, which is used to provide transportation funding to states and local agencies, is funded through the federal fuel tax. That tax hasn’t been increased since 1993, meaning we are trying to pay for 2015 projects with a 1993 income. It just doesn’t work. Not only are we behind by 22 years’ worth of inflation, but decreases in driving and increases in fuel efficiency mean that the amount of money being collected is not keeping pace with needs.

The highway trust fund nearly went broke last August, but was “saved” at the last minute with an infusion of other funds. There is talk again of using other funds to contribute to the Highway Trust Fund – mainly by making changes to the tax code. This idea appeals to many, as it raises more funding for the Highway Trust Fund without raising taxes. However, it is not a viable long-term solution.

We need a reliable funding source for the Highway Trust Fund to pay for transportation projects and we need a long-term transportation bill to allow the funds to be spent and to provide our transportation agencies with long-term policies, priorities, and expectations so they can plan for future needs.

The question is, how do we get there?

• We need Congress to step up and raise the fuel tax and index that fuel tax to inflation so that we are not in this same situation again in a year, or two, or ten.

• We need to recognize that the fuel tax, even if raised, will not be able to cover our long-term transportation needs due to increasing fuel efficiency.

• We need Congress to start seriously looking at long-term funding options, such as a vehicle mile tax, to eventually replace, or augment, the federal fuel tax without dipping into other existing funds.

• We need to tell our Congressmen that we, their constituents, understand that sometimes the right decision and the popular decision are not the same thing, and that we have their backs. 

We need a modern, efficient transportation system to support economic prosperity, a high quality of life, and a better life for our children.

Failure to act now simply kicks the can down the road. Let’s tell Congress that is not what we need.

Don’t let the Treasure Valley fall through the cracks.

What does $95 million mean to the Treasure Valley?

After more fits and starts at putting together a transportation funding package than I want to count, the Idaho legislature passed a bill to increase transportation revenue by an estimated $95 million per year in the wee hours of Saturday, April 11. As some had predicted, it turned out to be the “going home” bill.

First, I’d like to say “thank you.” Thank you to the many members of both houses and both parties who considered “out of the box” ideas, worked to educate themselves on transportation funding issues, or drafted legislation. While I’ll admit it wasn’t always pretty, I do believe the conversation about transportation funding was raised to a new level in 2015, and that in itself was valuable, in addition to the $95 million.

Now that the dust has settled, what does the nearly $95 million per year in increased transportation funding mean for Ada and Canyon Counties?

1.    The estimated $95 million per year in additional funding will be split between the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) (60%) and local roadway agencies (40%).

·         ITD is expected to receive approximately $56.5 million statewide per year in additional funding. It is unknown at this point how much of that funding will be spent in Ada and Canyon Counties.

·         Local roadway agencies will receive approximately $37.6 million statewide per year in additional funding.

·         Of that $37.6 million, local agencies in Ada and Canyon Counties combined are projected to receive approximately $9.2 million per year in additional revenue.  

2.    The additional funding can only be spent on maintenance of roads and bridges. Of the projected $159 million shortfall in the two-county area, approximately $30 million per year is maintenance on local roads and bridges. The $9.2 million discussed above will be used toward this $30 million shortfall.

3.    The additional funding cannot be used to expand or improve roads and bridges (e.g., add traffic lanes) nor can it be used for public transportation. Of the $159 million annual shortfall in Ada and Canyon Counties, $129 million falls into these categories. The additional funding does not help here.

4.    ITD will receive additional funding for the next two years if there is a budget surplus at the end of the fiscal year (“surplus eliminator” funding). It is unknown at this point what the total amount will be or how much of that will be spent in Ada and Canyon Counties.

So, where does that leave us?

In short, it leaves us short. It helps, but does not cover our maintenance shortfall, nor does it help the Treasure Valley prepare for the future by providing for public transportation or expanding our roads and bridges.

We still need…

1.    Local option funding authorization to allow local agencies to ask citizens if they want to tax themselves for a specific project (see my blog of April 14, 2015).

2.    Dedicated funding for public transportation. Right now, we do not have this in Idaho. This could be local option funding, it could be something else, or it could be a combination of funding sources. We can’t serve our growing population if we can’t provide adequate public transportation.

3.    A means to “grow” our transportation funding. It took 19 years for the Idaho legislature to increase the gas tax, and even then it was a difficult, painful process that yielded far less than needed. We need to index our gas tax to inflation, or provide some other means of automatic increases, so that future legislators are not forced into this position again. Even with the $95 million increase, we continue to fall behind.

4.    To continue to look at “other” ways to fund our transportation system. Our gas tax revenues will continue to fall further behind as vehicles become more fuel efficient. We need to be thinking about what we can, and should, do in the future. While the concept of a fee based on vehicle miles travelled is not popular, something that raises funds based on an individual’s use of the transportation system needs to be on our radar.

5.    Congress to act. In Idaho, 54% of our transportation funding comes from the federal government. This is extremely high compared to most states (which is an issue in and of itself), but it highlights the importance of federal funding to Idaho. We need Congress to follow Idaho’s lead and increase the federal fuel tax – unchanged since 1993 – to help keep pace with inflation. I’ll talk more about that in my next blog.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…this is too important an issue to only discuss the three months of the year when the Idaho legislature is in session. We need to keep the conversation alive, year-round, at the local, state, and federal levels.

Don’t let the Treasure Valley fall through the cracks

Public Involvement on Public Involvement? Huh?

As you no doubt know, COMPASS solicits feedback on its plans and projects – most notably Communities in Motion, the regional long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon Counties, and the Regional Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP.

This time, we’re asking for your feedback on our public involvement plan. Yes, we are conducting public involvement on public involvement.

COMPASS’ public involvement program is one part of COMPASS’ overall communication program. The work that COMPASS does affects every resident of Ada and Canyon Counties; therefore, we strive to involve all residents in our planning efforts. Depending on circumstances, that participation may range from being an active participant throughout a planning process, such as serving on a committee, to submitting comments on a draft plan.

The public involvement plan is part of a larger COMPASS Integrated Communication Plan. As all of COMPASS’ communication programs are interrelated, COMPASS chose to include its public involvement plan under the “umbrella” of its broader communication plan. This allows the user of the plan to better understand how different aspects of COMPASS’ communication programs support and augment each other.

COMPASS has developed a public involvement plan to serve two primary purposes:

1. To help you, COMPASS stakeholders and the general public, know what to expect from COMPASS when we conduct public outreach. The public involvement plan tells you where you to find public comment forms and other public comment materials, how we promote opportunities for public comment, how we use your comments, and more.

2. To help COMPASS staff understand what is expected of them. The plan outlines best practices for our staff to use when engaging in public involvement. Our staff will use the plan as a checklist to ensure we are meeting, and whenever possible, exceeding, all requirements for public involvement.  

The public involvement plan outlines requirements, recommended best practices, and optional outreach elements for public involvement on different types of plans and projects. These provide a base from which to build, while allowing COMPASS staff the flexibility to assess each situation individually and use additional, creative outreach elements as they are appropriate for the plan or project.

While we welcome comments on any portion of the COMPASS Integrated Communication Plan, we are particularly seeking feedback on the public involvement plan section (Section II, Chapters 2 – 6). These chapters include an overview of COMPASS’ public involvement processes (Chapter 2), and project-specific public participation guides for plans and programs for which we regularly seek public involvement, including the public involvement plan itself (Chapter 3), the long-range transportation plan (Chapter 4), the Regional Transportation Improvement Program (Chapter 5), and other plans and projects (Chapter 6). I encourage you to take a few minutes to review the plan and let us know what you think.

Visit www.compassidaho.org/comm/comments.htm to review the plan and submit your comments online. You will also find a list of libraries in the two county area where you can review a hard copy of the plan. And, of course, you are always welcome to stop by the COMPASS office to pick up a copy, or request one be sent to you in the mail. Contact COMPASS at 208/475-2229 or aluft@compassidaho.org for assistance or with questions.

Comments will be accepted through 11:59 pm, Sunday, May 31, 2015.

Local Needs Call for Local Solutions

My oldest daughter wants a new iPod. My youngest wants an autographed soccer jersey. Each girl is unique in her needs and wants, but the answer to both is the same: “If you want ‘X,’ you need to buy it yourself, which means you need to find a way to pay for it.”

Each girl will need to decide if what she wants is worth the effort, and if so, how she will come up with the money to achieve her goal. One daughter may decide to take on extra babysitting jobs; the other may choose to set up a lemonade stand. The point is, it is each girl’s decision and my wife and I have given them both the tools and support they need to make their own decision and reach their goals by themselves.  

If we can trust our daughters to develop their own unique “solutions” to their own unique needs, why can’t our legislature trust Idaho citizens to do the same?

I’m talking about the need for the Idaho legislature to grant authority to local agencies to add local option sales tax as a tool to help meet local needs.

What is local option sales tax authority and how does it work? A taxing district, such as a county or city, presents a local sales tax proposal, along with a description of the project the revenue would be used for, to the voters. The voters then decide if they wanted to tax themselves for that project. If the proposal passes, the tax is instituted and the project proceeds. If the proposal fails, no new tax is instituted and the project does not proceed – or at least goes back to the drawing board.

But, outside of a few resort communities, we don’t have access to that tool in Idaho. We need it. To get it, we need our legislators to provide local entities with the authority to use local option sales tax to develop their own solutions to their own needs. Local option authority is not a statewide tax – local option authority just provides permission for local entities to ask their voters if they want a tax.

The key to local option sales tax is that it is local – a local tax, voted on by local taxpayers, for a local project.

Community A may choose to initiate a small tax for a short period of time for a small project, such as a library. If that’s what that community wants, that’s OK.

Community B may initiate a larger tax for a longer period of time for a larger project, such as building a new water treatment plant. If that’s what that community wants, that’s OK.

Community C may choose to not use the tool at all. If that’s what that community wants, that’s OK.

Ironically, most of the arguments I hear against granting local option sales tax authority to local governments actually underscore why it is a good choice for Idaho, as it lets each community decide what is best for its own situation.

Argument #1. “It would make my county/city less competitive by having a higher tax than my neighbors.” If it’s not a good fit for your city or county, your city or county doesn’t have to use it. It is a local decision.

                                Shouldn’t each community be able to decide what works for them?

Argument #2. “I said I wouldn’t raise taxes.” All that is being requested of the Idaho legislature is authorization for local entities to access the local option sales tax tool. A vote for authorization is NOT a vote for higher taxes. A local option sales tax can only be implemented if the voters in the taxing district vote for the tax. If area residents don’t want higher taxes, they vote against the tax. It is a local decision.

Shouldn’t each community be able to ask its voters if they want to tax themselves?

Argument #3. “It’s only for public transportation; my community has different needs.” This is a common misconception. Many people use public transportation as an example of how local option could be used, which has led to the belief that that is the only way it could be used. That is simply not true. While I can’t say if the legislature would put restrictions on the types of projects local option could be used for, in concept, at least, it can be very broad, allowing each community the opportunity to address its unique situation. It could be used for a park in community “X,” a bridge in community “Y,” and, yes, a public transportation project in community “Z.” Once again, it is a local decision.

Shouldn’t each community have the ability to address its own unique needs?

So, if it’s that important, why am I talking about it now, when the legislature is no longer in session? I’m talking about it now because it’s too important an issue to relegate to the three months a year when the legislature is in session. We need to talk about it today, tomorrow, next month, and in January when the legislature convenes. Our legislators need to provide the tools that allow local needs to be addressed with local solutions.

Don’t let the Treasure Valley Fall through the Cracks

Safety: Worthy of Investment

James Dean. Princess Diana. “60 Minutes” correspondent Bob Simon.

What do these celebrities have in common? They all died in car crashes.

I have no doubt you can name many more people who fall into that category. We all can. Friends, colleagues, neighbors, family.

We have been talking about the need to maintain and improve our transportation system and the needed increase in transportation funding to do that. We’ve talked about the economy. We’ve talked about growth. But truthfully, there is nothing more important than safety when we talk about transportation. There are an average of 30,000 traffic fatalities in the US each year and an average of 200 per year in Idaho. One death is too many, much less 30,000!

What can we do?

No one “fix” will solve all transportation safety issues. It takes a combination of infrastructure improvements, enforcement of safety laws, improved vehicle safety, and most of all, personal action.

Improvements to our transportation system don’t have to be big. Often, the improvements with the most “bang for the buck” – the most lives saved for the investment – are simple: better signage, rumble strips, speed limits.

Coupled with these is enforcement. Unfortunately, getting to one’s destination safely often isn’t enough to convince people to drive the speed limit, not run stop signs, and not drink, or text, and drive. We need enforcement of our traffic safety laws.

Improvements in both of these categories – infrastructure and enforcement – cost money. Will an increase in transportation funding help us to improve our infrastructure and save lives? Yes. Is the investment worth it? I think so.

However, as I said, those aren’t the only pieces to the puzzle. Auto manufacturers are working to make our vehicles safer all the time – think of air bags, backup cameras, and cars that alert you to a potential accident. When my parents were growing up, cars didn’t even come with seatbelts…we’ve come a long way since those days.

But, all the improvements and safety measures in the world can’t protect us from ourselves.

We are still human, and despite all the hype over autonomous cars, right now, we are the ones behind the wheel. There are actions we can all take, that cost nothing, that make our roads safer: 

• Wear your seatbelt.
• Buckle your kids into their car seats.
• Don’t drink and drive, or text and drive.
• Wear a helmet if you’re on your bicycle or motorcycle.
• Obey traffic safety laws.
• Watch for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Regardless of whether you agree with me on transportation funding, the economy, taxes, or anything else, I hope you’ll agree with me on this: be safe, for yourself and those who care about you.