Strings tied to approved road plans

As they voted for a new transportation master plan for Yuba County on Tuesday, supervisors acknowledged it was almost immediately outdated.

Because state legislators are poised to take nearly $1.7 million worth of highway-use taxes in each of the next two fiscal years, many of the planned transportation projects for the next four years may suffer for a lack of funding, according to supervisors and county Public Works Director Michael Lee.

"It's almost like a mirage, it's there but not there," Supervisor Mary Jane Griego said.

Nonetheless, supervisors unanimously approved a plan that covers more than $70 million worth of road work from 2009 through 2013, including both repairs to existing roads and new projects.

Among the notable projects are a new north-south arterial road in east Linda, a new park-and-ride lot in Plumas Lake, and improving 21 miles of roads used mostly by aggregate haulers.

As well, the county will undertake rehab projects on several existing roads, with the result in 2013 that almost all of the roads county officials have included in a primary road network will be in good to excellent condition, Lee told supervisors Tuesday in a presentation before the vote.

Lee said the county expects to take in $73 million for transportation projects from 2009-13, with $45 million of that derived from fuel taxes.

But Supervisor Roger Abe pointed out those amounts were little more than wishful thinking if the state does as expected and diverts some gas taxes in the next two years.

"All these projects, if you had funding, would go accordingly," he said, "but we don't know about the funding."

Lee replied the county had to rely on a best-guess estimate of revenues because ongoing state budget talks in Sacramento make more precise numbers unattainable.

"Clearly, this is a working document," he said of the transportation plan.

Griego asked Lee whether it was true that with reduced gas tax revenues, county public works would be limited to largely maintaining the county's existing roads.

"We're in the position of hoarding money right now," Lee said. "Any project that requires local money or a local match is on hold."

Supervisors expressed frustration that the state's budget negotiators seem so willing to swipe local revenues to patch a state budget deficit estimated at $24.3 billion.

"You talk about that $1.7 million (highway-use taxes), that's probably gone for good," said Supervisor Hal Stocker, whose foothill district has 400 of about 650 miles the county maintains. "It's really a pretty sad situation when the state comes in and takes much-needed money from cities and counties."

Lee said the plan would be posted on the county's Web site after supervisors gave their approval.

Pleas for more low-income options precede housing approval

An updated housing element was approved by Yuba County supervisors on Tuesday, but not without input from state officials and locals with a consistent message: Follow through on getting homes for low-income residents.

Though Yuba and the rest of the nation experienced a feverish housing boom a few years ago, some supervisors and local advocates for affordable housing agreed the boom largely bypassed building homes for poorer residents.

"We have a current need that hasn't been met and we have future needs in our housing needs assessment that won't be met," said Ilene Jacobs, an attorney with the California Rural Legal Assistance office in Marysville. "We need to preserve affordable housing as well as expand affordable housing."

Supervisor Mary Jane Griego agreed, noting in her vote for the element that she wanted county administrators to continually update the board on their progress in certain areas, such as low-income housing and housing for farmworkers.

"I feel there's got to be accountability so that Ilene's not coming up here in five years saying, 'you missed the mark again,'" Griego said.

She also said she's heard of eight to 10 farmworkers getting together and renting homes in single-family neighborhoods because there's a lack of farmworker housing. Such a situation brings other problems, Griego said.

Jacobs also pointed out the county has an ongoing issue with mobile home parks — a form of affordable housing — that lose their state license and have to be closed for code violations.

Other speakers said the need for more housing for the homeless is more acute than supervisors may realize.

Marysville Joint Unified School District trustee Rich Sebo said he works with teens and young adults, such as former foster children, who often find themselves homeless.

"The challenge is that there's no funds to take care of them," he said. "When you consider the homeless, consider that age group."

County planners also made note of input on the housing element from the state Department of Housing and Community Development, which must certify any such plan.

Officials with that agency urged the county to identify areas for rezoning for affordable housing, find specific places for an emergency transition shelter for the homeless and place more emphasis on housing for extremely low-income residents.

Though some supervisors seemed inclined to continue a public hearing over the housing element to incorporate more of what was discussed, county planners said they were up against a Friday deadline to submit the element. Missing that deadline would affect the county's ability to apply for community block grants and other funding, said planning director Wendy Hartman.

Supervisors approved the housing element with a 4-1 vote, with Roger Abe in opposition. He did not give a reason for his vote.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Ben van der Meer at 749-4709 or bvandermeer@appealdemocrat.com.