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Citizens Watchdog Committee Finds VTA in Compliance with Measure A Spending

San Jose, Calif. – The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (VTA) FY07 2000 Measure A Transit Improvement Program’s activities and expenses were in accordance with the intent of the ballot, according to the Citizens Watchdog Committee (CWC).   The CWC is responsible for reviewing Measure A expenditures and issuing annual reports to the public describing how VTA spent such funds during the period.  

Approximately $137 million of Measure A funds were expended towards delivering Measure A projects during the period of July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007.   VTA used the funds to make significant progress on ballot-specified projects including the BART Extension to Silicon Valley, the Capitol Expressway Light Rail Project, Caltrain Service Improvements, Caltrain Double-Track Improvements in South County, Palo Alto Intermodal Transit Center, and Zero-Emission Buses.  The CWC’s Annual Report and related 2000 Measure A information will be available online beginning July 7, 2008 at www.vta.org.

The CWC made their determination about VTA’s Measure A spending following an evaluation of results from an independent audit of financial statements and records, and a public hearing on May 7, 2008.   This year’s CWC Annual Report, the second of 30 reports over the life of Measure A, fulfills the CWC’s ballot-specified requirements.

Background

Measure A, approved by Santa Clara County voters in November of 2000, is a 30-
year half cent sales tax devoted to improvement projects for the area’s public transit network.   The Measure A ballot specified that the CWC comprised of VTA’s Citizens Advisory Committee members, must:

• Review all 2000 Measure A expenditures.
• Have an independent audit conducted each fiscal year of 2000 Measure A financial statements and records.
• Hold public hearings and issue reports at least annually to inform Santa Clara County residents how the funds are being spent.
• Publish the results of the independent audit and the annual report in local newspapers and make them available to the public.

The VTA Board of Directors is responsible for implementation of the 2000 Measure A Program and for all policy-related decisions including the composition, implementation schedule and funding level of projects.   The CWC is responsible for reviewing 2000 Measure A expenditures to ensure funds are being spent in accordance with the intent of the ballot.

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About VTA
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations; congestion management; specific highway improvement projects; and countywide transportation planning. As such, VTA is both an accessible transit provider and multi-modal transportation planning organization involved with transit, highways and roadways, bikeways and pedestrian facilities.

For more information about VTA services, call VTA Customer Service at (408) 321-2300, (408) 321-2330 (TDD only). Or, log on to www.vta.org.