In this April 3, 2018 photo, a worker fills a pothole on Highway 50 near Kyburz, Calif. Opponents of Prop. 6 say the measure eliminates more than $5 billion annually in existing transportation funds and jeopardizes road safety and transportation improvement projects.
There are several tasks California Highway Patrol Officers perform on a daily basis that are sensitive and difficult to conduct. One such task is the investigation of a fatal collision, especially when a child is involved. Although officers receive several hours of training to conduct comprehensive collision investigations, there is no training that can prepare them for the emotional impact a tragedy such as this can have on them and other first responders involved.
That’s why I’m voting No on 6.
Proposition 6 eliminates more than $5 billion annually in existing transportation funds and jeopardizes more than 6,500 bridge and road safety, transportation and public transit improvement projects currently underway throughout California.
I spent 30 years on the CHP working next to some of the most dedicated and hard-working members of emergency first responders and transportation professionals. I can no longer sit by and watch the safety of the public and the states infrastructure fall prey to the whims of politicians who have no plan other than to divide and conquer strictly for political gain.
According to the latest study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 3,600 fatalities on California roads in 2016. Eighty-nine percent of California counties — including San Diego — have roads that are in “poor” or “at-risk” condition, and 1,600 of our bridges and overpasses are structurally deficient and unsafe.
The last thing in the world we should be doing is eliminating road safety and infrastructure projects. But that’s exactly what Proposition 6 will do. And for the San Diego region, it will have a hugely negative and local impact — making our roads and bridges less safe, more deteriorated and more congested.
Proposition 6 will force many of these projects to be eliminated, wasting money and making roads less safe.
Projects making safety improvements like striping for improved visibility, safety guardrails, more flashing signs and rumble strips — could all be eliminated under Proposition 6.
In fact, more than 250 public safety organizations, engineers, local transportation agencies, cities, counties, business and labor organizations and environmental groups throughout California, have joined together to say No on 6. And when you get some of those opposing groups to agree on something, that should tell you just how dangerous Proposition 6’s attack on bridge and road safety is.
We all want to make sure that funding is actually going where it’s supposed to go. Last June, 81 percent of California voters made sure that would happen when we passed Proposition 69, which prevents Sacramento politicians from diverting transportation funds and dedicates these funds only for transportation improvements.
That makes it even easier for me to say No on 6.
I had the privilege of working beside some of the finest men and women in law enforcement and emergency services, and without a doubt they proved to be the most dedicated and passionate group of people to assemble for the good of the communities they serve.
We can’t allow Proposition 6 to put more preventable accidents and avoidable tragedy into their paths making our roads less safe for everyone.
Carter is a former Deputy Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol.