2008 “Wish List”
By Jim Ryan, Executive Vice President 

Well….at this time of year I suspect we all spend at least some time looking toward the New Year.  On Friday night, your Monday Morning Quarterback staff spent a couple of hours after work creating our top 10 “wish list” for 2008.  Here it is!!!

1. #1 on our list is to somehow have the industry convince Al Shur, the Business Manager for the IBEW in San Diego to stop using the State’s environmental laws as an organizing tool for the IBEW.  We know that Al thinks it is unfair that we attack him on a regular basis in MMQB, but really Al….when you make it perfectly clear to the owners of construction projects that environmental objections that have been filed by this group or that group will “go away” if they will position the project to hire only your members for the electrical work…..that is simply not right.  Other unions in San Diego seem to have the confidence to market themselves based upon their skill….why do you insist on embarrassing the industry with this “protection racket” methodology?  
    

2. Tom Lemmon, head of the SD County Building and Construction Trades Council, and Jen Badgley of the IBEW…..please stop this “local jobs” stuff.  The entire industry is laughing at you.  Everyone in the industry knows that your newly found concern for “local jobs” is really just a diversion to confuse the public so they think you are doing something honorable.  Both of you are just trying to obtain PLAs on construction projects…nothing less, and certainly nothing more.  Your “local jobs” campaign is a lie….and we all know it.  Try something different in 2008!!!!
    

3. The City of San Diego is crumbling.  AGC members understand better than anyone how important it is to maintain the infrastructure.  A simple problem today ends up being a major disaster in five years if it is ignored.  It has been five years since the City has been able to properly finance infrastructure projects.  Our water mains are breaking on a regular basis, streets and sidewalks are deteriorating, and our public buildings are in need of major repair.  The audits need to get completed.  Will everyone that is involved get into a room and work it out!!!  You simply cannot let the 8^th largest City in the United States fall apart.
    

4. The State needs an increase in the gas tax.  Yes, we just approved billions in bonds for construction, but….the transportation system in California will not keep up in the long run without our political leaders in both parties getting together and agreeing that the gas tax needs to increase.  No, it will not be popular, but we all know there really is no other answer!  The last time voters approved an increase was in 1990.
    

5. 2008 is an election year.  In the City of San Diego, four council seats will be turned over to new council members.  As voters, let’s make sure we are thoughtful about voting.  During the past 7-8 years, we have had two council members and one mayor resign.  That is really not good!!!   Let’s pay attention and do our best to elect qualified individuals.
    

6. During the past several sessions, the State Legislature has considered a number of bills that concern construction delivery systems.  As each session moves forward, it seems that these bills end up allowing individual projects or certain “classes” of public entities to have more or less freedom to utilize alternative delivery systems for their projects.  The industry and our State’s leaders need to come together on this issue to support and pass common legislation that addresses the issues.  This patchwork method we are currently working under does not work!
    

7. During 2008, the industry, both union and open shop, needs to make a commitment to apprenticeship.  Contractors in our State are not properly training enough apprentices.  We intend to focus on this issue in future MMQBs, but the industry is making a huge mistake by “just getting by” on this issue. 
    

8. California Air Resources Board….CARB….you passed a regulation this year concerning off-road diesel emissions that will not work.  Why not use 2008 to start fixing the regulation.
    

9. Governor Schwarzenegger….2008 is going to be a tough year economically for the State.  Please do not try to fix the deficit with funds set aside for infrastructure improvement….look somewhere else.  Letting the State’s infrastructure fall apart is a short-term fix that will crush us in the long run.
    

10. County of San Diego…..fix the Transportation Impact Fee…it has not worked.  Commercial and industrial development has come to a halt in certain areas of the County.

Anyway…that is your MMQB editorial board’s Friday evening wish list for 2008….if our readers have additional ideas feel free to send them to us!       

 

Transportation Bond Funds Begin To Flow / A “Win” for San Diego
By Dave Ackerman, AGC Legislative Advocate and Brad Barnum, Vice President Government Relations 

It was over a year ago that California voters approved over $40 billion in infrastructure bonds to fund transportation, housing, school and flood control projects.  Proposition 1B alone authorized $19.9 billion in transportation-related projects covering sixteen different programs.  While Prop. 1B established broad guidelines for most of these programs, the Legislature reserved the right to establish additional conditions for each of the categories and appropriate the bond funds as appropriate.  The voters may have thought the dollars would flow immediately following last November’s election, but the reality is far different.

As we enter 2008, only $8.1 billion, or just a little under half of the Prop. 1B monies has been committed by the Legislature, and the first dollars are just beginning to be spent.  The rest of the money is still being debated.

Here is a status report on some of the significant categories funded by Prop. 1B:

Corridor Mobility Improvement Account (CMIA).  The CMIA program, at $4.5 billion, is the largest program in Prop. 1B, and the proposition required that these funds be allocated immediately following the passage of the measure. The California Transportation Commission (CTC) reviewed a massive list of $11.3 billion in projects proposed by Caltrans and local transportation agencies, and finally selected 149 projects totaling $4.48 billion for funding.  The Legislature quickly appropriated funding for these projects, all which must be under construction no later than 2012.

State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Augmentation.  Prop. 1B allocated $2 billion to augment funds available for normal highway and transit project construction.  The CTC approved the $2 billion augmentation to the STIP on June 7, and the funds have been appropriated by the Legislature.

Trade Corridor Improvement Fund (TCIF) & Emission Reduction Account.  Prop. 1B allocated $2 billion for goods movement projects, and an additional $1 billion for goods movement/air quality improvements.  The CTC approved project guidelines for the trade corridor projects on November 27, and increased the funds available for trade corridor projects by an additional $1 billion from other sources.  Projects are expected to be selected by the CTC by April 10, 2008.  No funds for this program have yet been appropriated by the Legislature pending project selection.

The California Air Resources Board is responsible for allocating the $1 billion in emission reduction funds, and has indicated that the first $250 million in allocations will be made following public hearings in the spring of 2008.  These funds will be used for technology projects to achieve emission reductions.

State Highway and Bridge Maintenance.  $725 million of bond funds has been appropriated by the Legislature to Caltrans to augment highway maintenance and seismic retrofit work on local bridges.

Local Partnership and Local Streets and Roads.  $3 billion was allocated to local entities, with a portion allocated to counties that have enacted local transportation revenue measures, and a minimum allocation of $400,000 for each city in California.  There is continuing legislative debate concerning the type of funds that could be used to match state resources, and funds have yet to be appropriated by the Legislature.

Transit Operations and Security.  $4.6 billion was allocated in Prop. 1B for transit related projects. $3.6 billion will be apportioned by the State Controller on a formula basis, and the $1 billion in transit safety funds is being administered by the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security.  The Legislature has not appropriated funds for either of these programs.

Other programs totaling $1.6 billion for which funds still need to be appropriated by the Legislature include: Port and Harbor Security Account ($100 million); School Bus Retrofit Account ($200 million); Intercity Rail Improvements ($400 million); Highway-Railroad crossings ($250 million); and Traffic Light Synchronization ($250 million).

San Diego’s “Win”.   So far, the San Diego region has received its fair share or more of Prop. 1B funds.  Earlier this year, the region received Corridor Mobility Improvement funds for two specific projects: Retrofitting the existing eight-mile-long set of two express lanes on Interstate 15 between Highways 56 and 163 so they match the four new lanes being built to the north ($350 million); extending the car-pool lanes on I-805 from Carroll Canyon Road to the I-5/805 merge ($82 million).  

Good news for San Diego continued last month, as the CTC allocated between $250-400 million to help fund traffic congestion relief on major highways, improvements to local rail lines, and work to improve border crossings between Mexico and San Diego.  Key projects include: Completion of State Route 905; a third Port of Entry along the Mexico border, and a four lane freeway to connect the new entry to State Route 905; a new (third) rail line running to the Mexico border from near downtown San Diego; and enhancements to truck routes leading from the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

 

This week….AGC Annual Meeting- December 13, 2007

All AGC members are invited to attend the December 13^th, 2007 Annual Meeting, which will be held at the Hilton San Diego Resort on Mission Bay, 1775 East Mission Bay Drive beginning at 11:00 am. 

A lunch will be served, followed by the election of new Board members and the Executive Vice President’s Annual Report to the membership, which will detail AGC activities and finances. Click here for registration.

For more information, contact Rae Krushensky at 858-731-8157.

 

It’s Ski Season - AGC Winter Conference - Save the Date- February 7-10, 2008

AGC 2008 Winter Conference

As already mentioned, the AGC Winter Conference inn 2008 will be at The Canyons Resort, Silverado Lodge, in Park City, Utah! 

The Rooming Block will be released on January 7. All members who are interested in attending should get their reservation in by Jan. 4, 2008.

After that time, rooms will be based on availability and the prevailing room rates.

The Canyons is located on the world’s most breathtaking stage – Utah’s Wasatch Range and offers 3,700 ski-able acres spread over 8 mountains with 5 bowls, 6 natural half-pipes, 2 terrain parks and 152 trails.  Perhaps the best part about The Canyons is that it’s just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport. 

Join us for this fun, networking opportunity.  There is a deadline to register. Click here for registration form and fax to Rae at (858) 558-8444.  You can also contact Rae with any questions at (858) 731-8157 or e-mail at raek@agcsd.org.
 

Construction Project Management Course- Starts January 17^th- Sign up Now!
"The Certificate Course" 

It is that time again… a new Project Management course is starting up January 17, 2008 and will run through December 2008.   This is our sixth PM Class, and we are still getting "HUGE KUDOS" on the instruction, curriculum and presentation.  Class is limited to 30 participants.  Click here for flyer  / Click here to register.  For more information, contact Glen Schaffer at 858-731-8151. or e-mail gschaffer@agcsd.org.

 

Please note: 
***** Please register on line for classes ******
Go to our website at www.agcsd.org and click onto Calendar for either
Construction Education Classes or Safety Training.

“AGC Education & Training….Building a Solid Foundation”

Safety Classes
DECEMBER
Fall Protection – Dec 11 Click here for flyer/  Click to register 

Construction Education Training Classes
DECEMBER
Effective Business Writing – 3 sessions – Dec. 4, 11, 18
Blue Print – Dec 5, Dec 12, Dec 18
EM385- Dec 13 Click here for flyer/ Click to register

 

All committee meetings are held at AGC unless indicated otherwise
DECEMBER
Dec. 12 – Specialty Contractors Council Meeting – 11 AM

AGC Toastmasters- Every other Wednesday- 7 AM at the Roel Training Center. Click here
For more information, please contact the President of Toastmasters for AGC, Mandy Parent at mparent@4datanet.com

 

UPCOMING AGC EVENTS
December 13- Annual Meeting- Hilton Mission Bay 

2008 AGC Events
January 29- Installation Dinner- La Jolla Hyatt – click here for registration form
February 7-10- Winter Conference- The Canyons Resort- Utah
Spring Conference in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – April 17-20, 2008 –click here for brochure