September October 2017

22 American Traffic Safety Services Association GOVERNMENT RELATIONS California-ATSSA Chapter holds advocacy day, meets with state legislators On Tuesday, July 18, twenty-one members of the California chapter of ATSSA (CAL-ATSSA) held an advocacy day at the state capitol in Sacramento, Calif. The group conducted a total of 45 meetings with legislators and staff to discuss the importance of the roadway safety infrastructure industry and what CAL-ATSSA members’ products and services are doing to make roads safer and save lives. The following CAL-ATSSA member companies sent representatives to participate in the chapter’s advocacy day: BATS Traffic Solutions, Chrisp Company, Ennis-Flint, Hi-Way Safety, PSI, PSS Innovations, Public Works Marketing and Leasing Inc., Road-Tech Safety Services, Inc., Safety Striping Service, Inc, Statewide Traffic Safety & Signs, Inc., Sterndahl Enterprises, Inc., and Traffic Management, Inc. This advocacy day is part of ATSSA’s newly implemented state government relations program. Additionally, the group thanked legislators for the passage of SB 1 , a bill which will raise a projected $52.4 billion for transportation over 10 years through user fee increases. SB 1 passed the legislature on April 6 by a two-thirds majority vote and was signed by Governor Brown shortly thereafter. The bill’s gas tax increases, which are the first of its kind since 1993, will take effect starting on November 1 and new vehicle registration fees will begin Jan. 1, 2018. Fees on zero-emission vehicles will take effect July 1, 2020. SB 1 brings California’s gas excise tax to 30 cents per gallon. California’s gas tax is collected on top of an 18.4 cent per gallon federal gas tax that is charged to all drivers in the nation to fill the federal government’s transportation funding coffers. ATSSA supports continued and increased funding for roadways and bridges through traditional user fees (gas tax, VMT, etc.) and new funding in addition to financing options. To raise a projected $52.4 billion over 10 years, changes to taxes and fees include: • A 12-cent increase in the gasoline excise tax; • A 20-cent increase in the diesel excise tax; • A 5.75 percent increase in the diesel sales tax; • A new vehicle fee, which will annually charge drivers between $25 and $175, depending on the value of the vehicle; and • A $100 annual fee on zero-emission vehicles. Additionally, CAL-ATSSA advocacy day participants urged state lawmakers to ensure that new revenue from SB 1 stays dedicated to transportation and is not diverted to other non-transportation programs. “Increased funding for our transportation network means a rise in new construction opportunities in California, as well as implementing much needed infrastructure repairs on California’s roads and bridges. These projects will require ATSSA member involvement as the manufacturers and installers of roadway safety products, equipment and services” said CAL-ATSSA Chapter President Christy Meyers-King from Hi-Way Safety, Inc. “Roadway safety infrastructure improvements that prevent crashes and reduce roadway fatalities are low-cost solutions that deliver a high return on investment” said CAL-ATSSA President-elect William Kearny from BATS Traffic Solutions. A number of legislators in leadership met with the group, including: the Senate Transportation Committee Chairman and lead sponsor of SB 1 Senator Jim Beall and the Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman Assembly member Jim Frazier.   Chapters interested in hosting a state advocacy day should contact ATSSA’s Director of State Government Relations Ashley Wieland at ashley.wieland@atssa.com . California-ATSSA Chapter officer Tony Becker of Ennis-Flint accompanies Senator Anthony J. Portantino to the Senate floor. Twenty-one members of the California-ATSSA Chapter held an advocacy day July 18 at the state capitol in Sacramento, California. Increased funding for transportation network means a rise in California construction opportunities