RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 406 (DESAULINER), LAND USE: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, under current law the basic vehicle registration fee is $34, plus a $22 surcharge to fund the California Highway Patrol; and

WHEREAS, local agencies are allowed to impose separate vehicle registration fee surcharges for a variety of special programs, including: $1 for service authorities for freeway emergencies; $1 for deterring and prosecuting vehicle theft; $7 for air quality programs; $1 for removing abandoned vehicles; and $1 for fingerprinting identification programs; and

WHEREAS, cities and counties in regions have formed joint powers authorities and councils of governments (COGS) to implement regional planning activities required under state law, including regional housing needs assessments and regional transportation plans; and

WHEREAS, SB 375 (Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008) requires the Air Resources Board (ARB), by September 30, 2010, to provide each region that has a metropolitan planning organization with greenhouse gas emission reduction target for the automobile and light truck sector for 2020 and 2035, respectively; and

WHEREAS, each MPO, in turn, is required to include within its regional transportation plan (RTP) a sustainable communities strategy (SCS) designed to achieve the ARB targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 406 would allow an MPO, a COG, or a county transportation commission and a subregional COG jointly preparing an SCS to impose a surcharge of up to $2 on vehicle registered in its jurisdiction to fund the development and implementation of an SCS or a regional blueprint plan to identify land use strategies to reduce emissions into the environment; and

WHEREAS, the regional entity would be required to adopt a resolution imposing the surcharge, except that in the Bay Area, both the MTC and ABAG would be required to adopt a resolution and agree how to divide the revenue received; and

WHEREAS, this measure would require that if the surcharge imposed is over $1, the funds collected in excess of that amount would be used to provide grants to cities and counties for planning projects related to the implementation of a regional blueprint plan for jurisdictions with populations over 300,000; and

WHEREAS, the proposed legislation allows the DMV to deduct administrative fees and transmit the revenue quarterly to the MPO, COG, or county transportation and subregional COG; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 406 would provide the funding mechanism for Senate Bill 375 (Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008), which requires California to develop “Sustainable Community Strategies” (SCS).

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors by the adoption of this resolution hereby supports Senate Bill 406 (DeSauliner) regarding land use, environmental quality.

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