Senate EPW to Release Transportation Bill Soon

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is poised to introduce a new surface transportation bill as early as this week, but want a commitment from the Senate Finance Committee to find a way to pay for it, a Capitol Hill source said this morning.

The committee, chaired by California Senator Barbara Boxer, will propose a two-year transportation bill that will cost $12 billion more than anticipated revenue from the Highway Trust Fund. Committee leaders believe it has a better chance of passing than the traditional six-year bill.

According to committee staff, the bill has strong bipartisan support from the committee's "Big Four": Boxer, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., the ranking member, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Sen. David Vitter, R-La., the chairman and ranking member of the highway subcommittee. 

Baucus also is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. EPW leaders are taking the unusual step of getting Finance to commit to finding a way to pay for the bill. In the usual course of business, a committee passes an authorizing bill, then leaves it up to Finance to find funding.  According to the source, after the bill is released, Boxer would like to hold hearings and pass the bill to the Senate in July.  Although the bill has bipartisan support, some in the environmental community are concerned that it will be heavily weighted to highways rather than transit, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.  There is no word on when the House will introduce its version of the bill.

Safer Streets Coming to Robla Elementary

The Sacramento City Council recently approved $100,000 to improve the streets around Robla Elementary School.  These funds will be used for the design phase for street improvements which include sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrian accessibility. 

"Currently, many streets around our schools do not have sidewalks. Children and parents walking to school must walk in the street, and the situation has long caused concern," said Robla School District Superintendent Ruben Reyes.

The project will add new pedestrian crosswalks at the Rio Linda Boulevard at the Pinedale and Santa Ana intersections, improving access to the Sacramento Northern Bike Trail, and redoing the sidewalk, gutters and curbs in front of the school. 

The final design will be completed by the end of June, and the project as a whole is set to be completed at the end of October.  

Robla Elementary School crossing showing lack of sidewalks

6/29 - 4 pm to 6 pm - Summer Youth Access Lounge, Broadway Career Center, 915 Broadway, Sacramento.  Asian Resources and the Broadway Career Center are excited to announce the Summer Youth Access Lounge. We'll be open every Wednesday from 4-6PM at the Broadway Career Center on 915 Broadway to provide enrichment workshops with a range of topics. We also provide one on one job/ college counseling.  Contact:  Fong Tran, fong@asianresources.org, (916) 324-6216.

7/2 - 9 am to 1 pm - Oak Park Farmer's Market, McClatchy Park, 35^th Street and 5^th Avenue, Sacramento.  Our award-winning market features a diverse group of vendors selling locally produced and delicious fruits and vegetables, specialty plants and sprouts, breads, cheese, tamales, fresh flowers and more! EBT and WIC benefits are gladly accepted-ask us about our EBT incentive!  For more information, visit http://www.nwsac.org/oakparkfarmersmarket/.

7/4 - 7 pm to 9 pm - Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association Meeting, Tahoe Colonial Collaborative, 5959 Eigth Avenue, Sacramento.  Meeting dates: 1st Monday of the month (7:00 p.m.).  Contact:  Bill Motmans, president@tahoe-park.org.

7/9 - Sacramento Building Healthy Communities-Healthy Food Access Group, Stockton Boulevard Partnership, 5625 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento.  Alchemist CDC is hosting a series of focus groups to learn more about options for improving access to healthy foods within the Building Healthy Communities area of Sacramento.  Parents/Caregivers (Open to parents and guardians of children under 18 years of age).  Contact: Davida Douglas at davida@alchemistcdc.org, or (916) 204-8260.