San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) officials are up to their necks in sand. Hasan Ikhrata, director of the regional planning agency, is either unwilling or incapable of fulfilling commitments made to San Diegans.
Ikhrata has failed to expand freeways in the most car-dependent rural areas—as previously promised—and remains mired in a funding crisis regarding TransNet, the sales tax that funds transportation services. Currently, TransNet is at least $10 billion short of the necessary funds for the promised projects.
Instead, he has only tried to cover up his lack of leadership by firing three senior staffers who were previously involved in the 2016 SANDAG scandal. SANDAG deliberately misled the public about how much money it was planning to get out of TransNet.
There are several options on the table, including prioritizing the projects for future revenue measures, or at the very least, ensuring that they are kept in SANDAG’s next transportation plan. However, Ikhrata wants the laziest choice of them all. He wants to pick and choose which projects get funding, particularly prioritizing larger Democrat-dominant cities.
County Supervisors Kristin Gaspar and Jim Desmond have led North County officials in rallying to put pressure on SANDAG to make good on its promises. Republican representatives in Sacramento have joined the push. Assemblywoman Marie Waldron’s spokesman Jim Stanley stated that her office is “looking at ways to ensure SANDAG keeps the promises it made,” specifically “exploring legislation requiring several public hearings or a vote of the people if SANDAG attempts to change the allocation of TransNet funds substantially.”
There’s no question that the Democrat-controlled agency needs greater efficacy and transparency. Republicans remain committed to keeping SANDAG accountable to San Diego taxpayers, from whom it derives all of its funding.
Photo by Malik Earnest
