Many people do not realize Madera County is one of only a few counties designated as a self-help agency when it comes to funding transportation needs. The monies available to improve local streets and highways by the state and federal government are often awarded on a competitive basis. This means only projects that are shovel-ready and have local funds available and committed for use are considered. In the hunt for grant funds, self-help counties move to the front of the line because they can provide the matching dollars needed to qualify for these outside dollars. For projects in Madera County, Measure T provides the matching funds required by the granting agencies. So far, the outside funds awarded for local projects have exceeded Measure T’s outlay by nearly a two-to-one ratio.
Whether you ride a public transit bus or drive yourself, your commute has been influenced by Measure T. So, what is Measure T? It is the .5 percent sales tax approved by voters in Madera, Chowchilla, and the unincorporated area of Madera County in 2006. In other words, we are already paying for it. Measure T can only be used to maintain, improve, and expand roadways and transportation systems inside the cities of Madera and Chowchilla, and the unincorporated area of Madera County. Without Measure T, there would be $16 million fewer dollars each year to use in making improvements to our transportation systems when there is already a shortage of funds available to perform the required work.
The cities of Madera and Chowchilla rely heavily on Measure T to provide funding to maintain their bus systems and provide material for street projects, such as pothole filling and repaving. If Measure T is not renewed, the potholes will get deeper, and the roadways will get bumpier. The bus systems may not mean much to many folks, but for those who rely on the fixed route and Dial-A-Ride programs, cuts to those systems will create limitations on users’ ability to get where they need to go.