HomeMy WebLinkAboutMichelle SchumacherFrom:
Michelle Schumacher
To:
Michelle Schumacher
Subject:
Public Comments for City Council Meeting
Date:
Monday, April 6, 2020 11:14:42 PM
Good evening City Council
I am writing to you today to ask for your support in reducing a significant tax on all Orange County
residents that often times goes unnoticed. Are you aware that the Transportation Corridor Agency
(The "TCA") has taxed OC homeowners to the tune of $706,334,000.00 million since the TCA a
government Agency was established in 1987. This tax comes in the form of Development Fees
that are assessed on new residential and commercial properties developed or remodeled within
Orange County.
The TCA was formed in 1987 with the explicit purpose of constructing the 73, 241 and 261 Toll
Roads. At the time that the TCA was established bonds were issued to pay for construction of
these the Toll Roads. The promise made by the TCA at the time was that the debt taken on by the
TCA for construction of these new Toll Roads would be paid off through a combination of
Development Fees and Tolls collected on the roads by drivers who use the roads. 100% of the
debt was to be paid off within 30 years and the Toll Roads were supposed to become Freeways
like the rest of the Interstate Highways within our great State. As it turns out the TCA has horribly
mismanaged their role and has squandered these silent taxes paid for by your constituents. Not
only are the 73, 241 and 261 still Toll Roads and not Freeways, but the TCA is still over $4.7
BILLION in debt for construction of these roads. This is a dereliction of duty and a travesty for
Orange County Taxpayers. By the time the bonds are repaid it will cost 11 Billion dollars - the
debt is going in the WRONG direction and will never be paid down or a major taxpayer bailout
required negatively affecting Orange County and the State according to a OC Grand Jury report -
the TCA carries 64% of all JPA debt in the OC.
The TCA recently released a draft a Vision Plan - the TCA is trying to do other non tolled projects
and this is serious mission creep. It is time to have the TCA solely focus on paying down the
bonds, instead of driving up housing and the cost of business in our County with these empty toll
roads and really get traffic moving by freeing the toll roads. We have OCTA and CalTrans there
is no need for this redundant wasteful agency. Tax payers deserve better.
The TCA sends Hundreds of Millions of Dollars outside of our state on vendor contracts, if they
want Orange County Tax payers to be able to afford the ever increasing tolls they need to be
more mindful and keep the money in California.
Thank you for your time and please do something to stop the hemorrhage to tax payers in our
county with these economically discriminating toll roads.
Michelle