Most people would like to see improvements to our area roadways, especially the "mangled" streets in Hollister, and solutions to our intra-county transit issues. However, the way Measure P is written can be viewed upon as a rush to solutions that are based on emotion rather than proper considerations given. The expenditure plan for this measure, as it is written, does not make sense! Consider the following:
Fifty percent would be used for Highway 25 improvements? The proposed Hwy. 152/Shore Road/Hwy. 25/Hwy. 101 connection has yet to begin. Besides, we don't even own Hwy. 25 so why make a 30-year commitment to do something the state should do on its own? Hwy. 156 West to San Juan Bautista is already planned for a four-lane improvement by the state. This will be their responsibility to maintain.
Measure P needs to be postponed and better thought out. One hundred percent of any 30-year "special tax" revenue must be earmarked to benefit locally-owned county and city roads and streets, not state-owned highways, and to improve county transit issues.
At this time, vote NO on Measure P.