Traffic Relief

By David Arthur Glass

We need to prioritize our expenditures especially if the voters approve Measure Q. If that general tax measure passes the money must be preserved to assure the completion of Rainier and other traffic relieving programs.

When Highway 101 is lifted raised and widened we will have the opportunity to achieve this project. In March of 2011 I was asked by the city manager and the bond underwriter to meet with the financier's of the money that will make the under crossing possible. I did that and successfully convinced the bank to lend the city of Petaluma more than 11 million dollars to allow us the financial possibility of achieving this project.

I am committed to getting it done. There are tremendous financial shortfalls to achieve this project and always have been. I advocated for a funding source that would have guaranteed the money could not be spent on other projects. A restricted use tax with a segregated account for this project would have been the best way to assure achieving this project without the risk that the money could be spent elsewhere.

In polling the two top priorities identified by Petaluma Tax Payers was street repair and traffic relief. There is an endless supply of need in these two areas. That is why I wanted a measure that would have protected the tax payers interests making sure the funds could not be spent elsewhere when the need is so great and the desire of the voters is strong and clear.

You deserved the opportunity to vote on a restricted use tax measure that would have guaranteed achieving the greatest amount of street repair and traffic relief for your hard earned money.

I am committed to delivering the Rainier crosstown connector which one day will go under the freeway and provide 101 access.