Public-private partnership with Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group and Santa Clara County aims at balanced long-term
transportation funding plan

         Event:  San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales joined the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group and Santa Clara County in a partnership effort to ensure that more than $2 billion in discretionary state and federal funds will target road improvement projects in Santa Clara County during the next three decades.

         When:  12:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 13         

       Where:  Virginia Street Bridge/VTA Light Rail Station, San Jose

                      [Bridge over Highway 87, with view looking north toward Highway 280 interchange.  Access from Bird Avenue on the west or South Almaden on the east.]

           Who:  Ron Gonzales, Mayor, City of San Jose and Chair, VTA Board of Directors
Don Gage, Chair, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
Carl Guardino, President & CEO, Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group

   Background:  Santa Clara County voters will consider a VTA ballot measure in November that would ensure that approximately $2.1 billion in discretionary state and federal funds will be used to improve and maintain the county’s highest priority highway, expressway, bicycle and pedestrian paths and local roads during the next three decades, without increasing taxes. 

                          This measure is a complement to the successful Measure A that local voters overwhelmingly approved in November 2000 that will provide approximately $6 billion in funding for BART, light rail, Caltrain and bus system improvements from the extension of the local ˝ cent sales tax for 30 years starting in 2006.