Another hurdle for BART-to-SJ Another hurdle for BART-to-SJ (April 08, 2005)

Federal requirement could cost project nearly $1 billion

By Jon Wiener

Critics of the proposed BART extension to San Jose have long said that even a second sales tax would not be enough to build the project. Now the federal government appears to be joining their ranks.

A proposed requirement that federally-funded transportation projects meet a minimum cost efficiency standard would effectively disqualify BART from receiving nearly $1 billion in federal money.

Backers are scrambling into damage control mode as the project approaches a crucial juncture.

Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) spokesperson Bernice Alaniz said the proposed change does not take into account differences in the cost of labor and construction in different parts of the country.

"It makes it almost impossible for any big metropolitan expensive city," said Alaniz.

She added that a cost-effectiveness measure should not outweigh the continued community support for the project. A poll commissioned by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group recently found that voters throughout the county would support a quarter-cent sales tax, but not the half-cent the agency was counting on to build the project. The business lobbying organization, previously known as the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group, has drawn criticism from skeptics by refusing to release the results of past polls.

And at an April 22 workshop, the board will discuss the comment it has received from cities throughout the county about its plan to seek an additional sales tax to pay for the extension. Mountain View's city council criticized the agency for failing to come up with a plan that did not involve a new sales tax.
E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com.

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