Act locally to help keep SLO County great: ‘Yes’ on Measure J

I am writing in favor of Measure J and urge all San Luis Obispo County residents to support the measure. The measure will make our roads safer for all users — drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

Measure J would provide local funding for local projects that cannot be taken away by Sacramento.

Measure J would add a half-cent sales tax for nine years and would generate $25 million annually. Specific projects in each part of the county are listed in the measure and at www.selfhelpslo.org. More than 50 percent of the sales tax would be paid for by visitors and tourists, who use and expect good roads and facilities.

The measure allocates 10 percent of the funds for regional bike and pedestrian safety throughout the county. The extension of the Bob Jones Trail, the Morro Bay-Cayucos Connector and the Atascadero-Templeton Connector could become realities.

With decreased revenues from the gas tax (think more efficient cars and lower gas prices), and deadlocks in transportation funding in Sacramento, our infrastructure is crumbling. Because we lack local matching funds, we are less competitive for grants that would help build bikeways and make our streets safer.

Let’s act locally to help keep SLO County great.

This story was originally published October 21, 2016 at 9:26 PM with the headline "Act locally to help keep SLO County great: ‘Yes’ on Measure J."