A lesson on COG
The Council of Governments (COG) and the Local Transportation
Authority are probably the most misunderstood local agencies in San
Benito County. To set the record straight, I offer the following
information about these two agencies:
The Council of Governments and the Local Transportation
Authority are governed by a Board of Directors appointed from the
City Councils of Hollister and San Juan Bautista as well as from
the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
COG’s mission is to safely, efficiently, and effectively plan,
fund and deliver transportation projects and programs that benefit
the citizens of San Benito County. COG works closely with Caltrans
and its member agencies to develop solutions to the problem of
increasing safety and congestion concerns Highways 25 and 156. COG
planned, funded and will construct the Highway 25 Bypass. This
$45,000,000 project is scheduled to start construction in May
 2007.
COG distributes federal and state funding for $6-10 million
annually for local road and state highway projects and programs.
However, projected revenues do not meet the current and future $200
million needs of the highest priority projects.
This funding shortfall is why COG, the San Benito County Board
of Supervisors, and cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista are
partnering with our neighbor to the north. This partnership between
two counties, two Caltrans districts, and two transportation
planning agencies is key to leveraging more federal and state
funding. If San Benito County relied on its own share of federal
and state transportation dollars, it would take over 50 years to
raise the funds necessary to meet critical transportation
needs.
The Local Transportation Authority (LTA) operates County Express
buses with routes within and outside of San Benito County. Since
2000, ridership on County Express has grown 10 percent. Many County
Express riders have no other transportation available and without
County Express would lose access to employment, education, and
medical services. LTA also provides funding for transportation
services for seniors and persons with disabilities through Jovenes
de Anta
ño.
County Express services are funded with state and federal
funding specifically set aside for transit purposes. This funding
is only available for public transit purposes and cannot be used
for other purposes unless all transit needs are met in the
community. Like parents with teenagers, the state and federal
government attach strings to the monies they distribute.
I hope this information has demystified and clarified the
responsibilities of the COG and LTA. The next time you drive, take
the bus, walk, or bicycle on area roads and highways, know that the
Council of Governments and the Local Transportation Authority are
working diligently to develop transportation solutions for the
long-term.
George Dias, Chair
Council of San Benito County Governments
and Local Transportation Authority
A lesson on COG
The Council of Governments (COG) and the Local Transportation Authority are probably the most misunderstood local agencies in San Benito County. To set the record straight, I offer the following information about these two agencies:
The Council of Governments and the Local Transportation Authority are governed by a Board of Directors appointed from the City Councils of Hollister and San Juan Bautista as well as from the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
COG’s mission is to safely, efficiently, and effectively plan, fund and deliver transportation projects and programs that benefit the citizens of San Benito County. COG works closely with Caltrans and its member agencies to develop solutions to the problem of increasing safety and congestion concerns Highways 25 and 156. COG planned, funded and will construct the Highway 25 Bypass. This $45,000,000 project is scheduled to start construction in May 2007.
COG distributes federal and state funding for $6-10 million annually for local road and state highway projects and programs. However, projected revenues do not meet the current and future $200 million needs of the highest priority projects.
This funding shortfall is why COG, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors, and cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista are partnering with our neighbor to the north. This partnership between two counties, two Caltrans districts, and two transportation planning agencies is key to leveraging more federal and state funding. If San Benito County relied on its own share of federal and state transportation dollars, it would take over 50 years to raise the funds necessary to meet critical transportation needs.
The Local Transportation Authority (LTA) operates County Express buses with routes within and outside of San Benito County. Since 2000, ridership on County Express has grown 10 percent. Many County Express riders have no other transportation available and without County Express would lose access to employment, education, and medical services. LTA also provides funding for transportation services for seniors and persons with disabilities through Jovenes de Antaño.
County Express services are funded with state and federal funding specifically set aside for transit purposes. This funding is only available for public transit purposes and cannot be used for other purposes unless all transit needs are met in the community. Like parents with teenagers, the state and federal government attach strings to the monies they distribute.
I hope this information has demystified and clarified the responsibilities of the COG and LTA. The next time you drive, take the bus, walk, or bicycle on area roads and highways, know that the Council of Governments and the Local Transportation Authority are working diligently to develop transportation solutions for the long-term.
George Dias, Chair
Council of San Benito County Governments
and Local Transportation Authority
Thanks for Science Fair help
The students, science teachers and administrators at Marguerite Maze Middle School wish to thank the six members of the community who recently served as Science Fair judges: C. Dwayne Ogzewalla, C.R. Rogers, Peter Serracino, Doug Drogemuller, Julian Flores, and William C. Johnson. The Science Fair features projects submitted by approximately 600 sixth- and seventh-graders, of which some 150 qualify for judging. These six men spent a day at the school critiquing the students’ work, selecting those who come closest to mastering the scientific process. Top students move on to compete in the San Benito County Science Fair in April. Without volunteers from the community, this annual competition would not be possible.
Debbie Boothe,
sixth-grade science teacherÂ
Give a little for Dubya
I want to apologize to the “George Bush Cheerleaders” for the e-mail that was put on the internet by my cousin from Houston. I do hope it has not hurt their fund raising efforts.
Dear Friends and Relatives:
I have the distinguished honor of being named to the committee to raise $5,000,000 for a monument to George W. Bush. I am contacting you in hopes you will be willing to contribute to this noble cause. But first, a little about what the committee has been doing to date.
We originally wanted to put him on Mount Rushmore until we discovered that there was not enough room for two more faces. We then decided to erect a statue of George in the Washington, DC Hall of Fame. We were in a quandary as to where the statue should be placed. It was not proper to place it beside the statue of George Washington, who never told a lie, or beside Richard Nixon, who never told the truth, ince
George could never tell the difference.
(Paragraph Deleted)
Thank you.
George W. Bush Monument Committee
P.S. – The Committee has raised $1.35 so far. So please be generous.
In keeping with the bipartisan spirit in Washington, I have removed one offensive paragraph from my cousin’s letter.
Frank Crosby
Morgan Hill
