Funding Advocacy
San Bernardino Association of Governments (SANBAG) develops its advocacy efforts for funding large mass transit and highway projects in concert with its 24 cities in San Bernardino County and the five County Board of Supervisors to improve the transportation network system for approximately -two million residents in the region. As a state-designated county transportation commission, SANBAG supports freeway construction projects, regional and local road improvements, train and bus transportation, railroad crossings, call boxes, ridesharing, congestion management efforts, and long-term planning studies. SANBAG is also a regional transportation planning agency, which means that the agency works on long-term transportation goals as they relate to the Southern California’s regional planning efforts and state and federal priorities to improve mobility. SANBAG serves as a fund manager for transportation projects that are eligible for state and federal funding and manages the one-half cent sales tax measure, Measure I, for local priority projects that link into the overarching regional transportation plan.
Based on the principles of fiscal stability, preservation of local control, and efficient service delivery and operations, the SANBAG Board of Directors provides specific direction and overall policy guidance to the Director of Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs by adopting an annual platform prior to each legislative session and, when applicable, identifies priority transportation projects for specific funding categories. Effective partnerships between local and state and federal agencies are pivotal to ensure that the county of San Bernardino receives its fair share of available funding.
Notable Advocacy Efforts:
In 2006 SANBAG was successful in renewing Measure I, the county-wide half cent sales tax, which helps SANBAG to compete for state and federal funds. In addition to Measure I, a portion of the State’s excise tax on gasoline goes directly into improving road safety, mass transit, and reducing traffic congestion. Additional funding SANBAG has received as a result of its advocacy efforts includes over $175 million from the Corridor Mobility Improvement Act and $239 million from the Trade Corridor Improvement Fund.
In 2009, SANBAG received funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the federal stimulus program), which included additional funds directly appropriated to SANBAG as well as funds appropriated to the State that were subsequently directed to SANBAG. This additional $128 million allowed SANBAG to go to construction on the I-215 Widening project, one of the largest stimulus-funded freeway construction projects in the country creating thousands of jobs.
Legislative programs
The full transcript of each program is available in Adobe Acrobat
(pdf) format:
Advocacy Resources
SANBAG Contact
Eric Haley
Acting Director of Legislative Affairs
ehaley@sanbag.ca.gov