SamTrans’ GetUsMovingSMC Survey Scam

This follows a Measure K, 20-year extension of a 10-year temporary one-half cent sales tax (passed in 2016, expires 2043) and our governor and state Legislature ramming down a $0.12/gallon gas increase an increased license fees without voter approval (SB1, effective November 2017). Now couple this with a $3 toll increase we will see on the June 2018 ballot while the county is collecting record revenue and the state has a surplus. Low and fixed income people are getting hosed!

I give credit to the county and SamTrans to solicit input from the community, but if you peel back the layers, the survey is merely a tool to help them frame an argument go get our money. About 50 people attended the first of three town hall meetings in San Mateo on Jan. 25, 2017. The goal is to move more people quickly. The most notable problem was inoperability between existing transit systems, and they really cannot fix the problem because population is increasing, traffic through the county is increasing and, no matter what they do, people are going to be heavily dependent on single user automobiles. In my opinion, first solve the inoperable problems before putting another tax measure on the ballot.

Thomas Weissmiller

San Mateo