(Photo courtesy of Bend2030)
Bend2030 board of directors voted unanimously last week to support the findings of the Streets Funding Committee, which include support for a fuel tax and multimodal project funding.
The board captured the decision in a letter to the Bend City Council, to further consider where to find funding to improve Bend’s deteriorating road system.
“Through a transportation forum attended by 175 people, a statistically valid survey and community survey, and through our role as a co-convener of the Streets Funding Committee, Bend 2030 has engaged thousands of residents in finding the most broadly supported solutions to funding an improved transportation system in Bend,” reads the letter. “The overwhelming message from these thousands of residents: Adequately fund street preservation through a combination of funding sources including a fuel tax, and develop funding sources to greatly enhance multimodal options in the city.”
To read the full letter from the Bend 2030 Board of Directors, see below.
Funding for Bend 2030 is provided by the generous support of the 2015 Leadership Alliance of Bend 2030, including BendBroadband, Bend Park and Recreation District, Brooks Resources, Central Oregon Community College, the City of Bend, Deschutes Brewery, OSU-Cascades, St. Charles Health System, U.S. Forest Service, and Harcourt The Garner Group/Sunwest Builders/NorthWest Crossing.
Bend City Council Nov. 16, 2015
710 NW Wall St.
Bend, OR 97701
Re: Bend 2030 support for a fuel tax
Dear Council,
The Board of Directors of Bend 2030 wishes to share with you our organization’sstrong support for adequate street preservationfunding provided in part by a fuel tax, as well as continued prioritization of funding for multimodal projects.
Through a transportation forum attended by 175 people, a statistically valid survey and community survey, and through our role as a co-convener of the Streets Funding Committee, Bend 2030 has engaged thousands of residents in finding the most broadly supported solutions to funding an improved transportation system in Bend.
The overwhelming message from these thousands of residents: Adequately fund street preservation through a combination of funding sources including a fuel tax, and develop funding sources to greatly enhance multimodal options in the city.
Methods for achieving these goals were determined by the Streets Funding Committee.
Our board wishes to express its very clear support to you for the findings of the Streets Funding Committee regarding funding for roads including:
• That there is a need for an annual street preservation funding stream of between $6 and $7 million, which will enable us to improve the Pavement Condition Index by about five points over five years
• That Council is encouraged to direct General Fund revenues to street preservation at the levels of $5.2 million in 2015/2016 and of at least $3 million in future years
• That the funding gap between General Fund revenues and the $6 to $7 million needed should be filled by a variety of sources including a fuel tax
Further bolstering the case for a fuel tax, more than 20 other cities in Oregon currently use a fuel tax to provide consistent and reliable support for street preservation. This revenue source is the most clear user fee available for funding street preservation, allowing us to capture dollars from out of town visitors whose driving impacts the quality of our roads and dollars from residents who choose to drive over other less impactful transportation methods. Finally, a fuel tax will provide consistent revenue—at least over the next decade—and is not linked solely to the General Fund or Transient Room Tax dollars, both of which are dramatically affected by unpredictable fluxuations in the economy. For these many reasons, our board encourages the Council to support a fuel tax.
Our board also wishes to express its very clear support to you for the findings of the Streets Funding Committee regarding multimodal project funding including:
• That $2.6 million in SDC money immediately be devoted to the completion of multimodal projects
• That a new committee be formed to advise on multimodal and safety project funding and community awareness of the need for these projects
• That a dedicated revenue source for multimodal projects be developed by September 2017
Further bolstering the case for prioritization of multimodal projects, the State of Oregon requires that our city begin to focus on reducing vehicle miles traveled. And while the current Urban Growth Boundary expansion proposal may address these concerns through greater density targets, Bend 2030 is considering the next UGB expansion in 2028 and the need to have truly reduced vehicle miles traveled through investments in multimodal options.
Our organization also supports the prioritization of funding for multimodal transportation as a key factor of livability in the city. With expectations of a 40 percent population increase by 2030 but with few new arterials and collectors, we must invest in a transportation system that offers people other ways to move conveniently and efficiently throughout the city such as bikeways, a better sidewalk system and a robust transit system.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to share our thoughts and we look forward to continuing to work with the City of Bend on transportation into the future.
Sincerely,
Erin Foote Marlowe
Executive Director
Bend 2030
