Supes to Discuss Plan to Boost Revenue for Rural Roads

Supervisor David Rabbitt, who represents Petaluma on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, wants to add some $8 million for rural roads and put a sales or hotel tax increase on the ballot to fund improvements in the long-term, according to the Press Democrat.

More than 50 percent of county roads are in need of repair, costing more than $900 million over the next decade, according to the article. 

The plan, supported by Supervisor Shirlee Zane, includes:

• Using $6.5 million of one-time funds next fiscal year to improve 7.5 miles of roads important for tourism and farming. The money would come from a reserve fund used to cover delinquent property taxes. In Petaluma, it would repave about a mile of Cannon Lane, from Lakeville Road to Tolay Lake.

• Setting aside $1.5 million of seed money to match citizen efforts to improve roads

• Passing tax increase that boosts long-term road funding, either with sales or hotel tax.

• Extending Measure M, the transportation sales tax that expires in 2024, but with a revised formula that allocates for money for local roads.

• Establishing a road maintenance district, funded by a special property tax.

The Supervisors will discuss the plan at their meeting on Tuesday at 8:30am.

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You tell us: What’s the worst rural road around Petaluma? And which of these measures would you support to raise money revenues?