Survey of State Funding for Public Transportation

State Transportation
Improvement
Program

Proposition 116
Program

State Highway Account
(Fuel Users Tax and
Weight Fees)

Clean Air and
Transportation Improvement
Act (Bond Funds)

$1,193,194

$10,254,000

$0

TOTAL $1,399,800,143

Traffic Congestion
Relief Program

$117,365,000

State Transit
Assistance Fund

$2,879,000

$1,268,108,949

Transit Funds
(FY 2005)

Local Transportation
Fund

Programs

Traffic Congestion
Relief Fund

Public Transportation
Account (Gas & Diesel
Sales Tax)

1/4 cent of 7.25%
retail sales tax

Source

Capital
Operating
Both
Planning
Other

Capital
Operating
Both
Planning
Other

Capital
Operating
Both
Planning
Other

Capital
Operating
Both
Planning
Other

Capital
Operating
Both
Planning
Other

Capital
Operating
Both
Planning
Other

X

X

X

X

X

X

Eligible Uses
(Check box)

Specify:

Discretionary
Formula-based
Legislated
Dedicated
Other

Specify:

Discretionary
Formula-based
Legislated
Dedicated
Other

Specify:

Discretionary
Formula-based
Legislated
Dedicated
Other

Specify:

Discretionary
Formula-based
Legislated
Dedicated
Other

Specify:

Discretionary
Formula-based
Legislated
Dedicated
Other

Specify:

Discretionary
Formula-based
Legislated
Dedicated
Other

X

X

X

X

X

X

Type of Funding
(Check box)

California State Transit Funding: Program Structure and Characteristics

Discretionary grants to local
transportation agencies and jurisdictions
for rail and fixed guide way projects.
Project approval by California
Transportation Commission.

Of the amount available for programming,
75% is allocated to counties by
population and 25% is retained by the
State for interregional improvements.

Eligible capital projects identified in the
Governor's FY 2000-2001 budget to
ease congestion and enhance
connectivity between modes.

Allocated to support operation of waterborne ferry services in the Bay Area.

Allocated to operators by regional
planning agencies based on population,
prior year fares and local revenues.
Supports local transit.

Collected by state-returned to county of
origin. Apportioned by population
within counties. Supports local transit.

(If formula-based, describe formula)

Remarks on Uses and Allocation

Characteristics of State Funding for Public Transportation – 2005

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Characteristics of State Funding for Public Transportation – 2005

„

California State Transit Funding: Major Features
•

Total state transit funding increased from approximately $1.3 billion in FY 2003-04
to approximately $1.4 billion in FY 2004-05, translating to approximately $39.45 in
per capita funding.

•

The State of California economy improved in FY 2004-05 providing additional
revenues for local transportation needs but the economic recovery has yet to
provide similar funding increases for State programs. Most notably, funding for
transit projects programmed in the Traffic Congestion Relief Program and in the
State Transportation Improvement Program was again transferred to other critical
and essential State functions.

•

State funding supports the full spectrum of transit needs – capital, operations and
planning.

•

The primary source of state transit funding continues to be revenues from the ¼
cent of the 7-¼ percent retail sales tax flowing through the “Local Transportation
Fund” established by the Transportation Development Act (TDA). Revenues are
collected by the State and returned to each county according to the amount that
was collected in that county (as a result, they are often characterized as “local”
rather than state funds).

•

State funding from gasoline and diesel sales taxes also flow to transit through the
“State Transit Assistance Fund/Public Transportation Account.”

•

The current state transit program structure represents a consolidation and
simplification of accounts and programs that support transit.

(California’s 2005 fiscal year is July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005)

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