RAFT
Regional Alliance For Transit
Founded 1992

1000 Union Street, Suite 207
San Francisco, California 94133
Telephone: 415 440–6895
Email: raft@mtcwatch.com
Web: www.mtcwatch.com

November 7, 2008

Edmund G. Brown Jr.
C/o Office of the Attorney General
1515 Clay Street
Oakland, California 94607

Dear Attorney General Brown:

Since your October 1, 2008 letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, there has been a revision to the projected 25–year transit capital shortfall of Bay Area transit operators. The new estimate of the MTC is $23 billion, up from $21 billion. Transit operating revenues are also now expected to be $2 billion less than earlier estimates. The capital shortfall involves, among other things, revenue vehicle replacement (eg, bus) or refurbishment (eg, light rail) at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, which is seeking state and federal funds to build a new rail line costing over $6 billion. We are enclosing a memo from the MTC that discusses the reasons for the revision.

RAFT still has not had a reply from MTC to our letter of last July. We believe you will have a better response.

If it would be useful to you, we would be glad to discuss MTC and its long range plan with you or your staff.

Sincerely,


Peter Lydon
for RAFT