Consideration of SLOCOG Board Approved
Transportation Expenditure Plan
Presentation to the City of Arroyo Grande
2-24-26
The Solution: Central Coast Counties
Currently, 25 Counties (89% of
Californians) HAVE a Voter-approved Transportation Tax
Region Collected
(’16-pres)
Grants
Won
Santa Cruz $196M $350M
Monterey $277M $227M
Santa Barbara $458M $759M
SLO $0 $0
Lost out on $270M $430M
2 3
Approved San Luis Obispo County Transportation Expenditure Plan .5% Sales tax generates ~ $35,000,000
4 Approved Expenditure Plan Modifications from Draft
1. Section III: Unincorporated communities (Local Funds): Single County pot changed to County funds shall be distributed equally by Supervisorial District over the life of the measure as monitored and reported by the Citizens Oversight Committee
2. Section III: Regional Funds changed to add: over the life of the measure as monitored and reported by the Oversight Committee.
3. Section V: MOE added clarification language and added 2FYs to the review period: 2021/22, 2022/23 changing the period from three FYs to five.
4. Section VI. –G: applies to Regional projects only.
5. Section VI. –I: changed to 2x per programming cycle from 2x per year.
6. Section VII: 5-year Performance Assessments changed from 3-year
7. Section IX: Added Implementation Guidelines to be developed after election.
Have no impact on: housing, groceries, utilities, services, or prescription medicine.
Raise $35m / year ($1B)
Potential Leverage $1B-$1.5B from State/Fed
Protected from Sacramento
Funds are limited to our Transportation Only as a special tax
Visitors also contribute/pay
Speed up project delivery (reducing cost) ensuring more improvements are made
5 ½ cent sales tax in San Luis Obispo Region would:
Feb. 2026 – Mar. 2026: All Cities and County Consider Approval of Plan
Apr. 1, 2026: SLOCOG Board – Consider Adoption of
Ordinance with Measure Materials; Request for Ballot
Nov. 3, 2026: Election Day / Voter-Consideration of
Measure
Fail -> No Change
Pass -> Delivers Expenditure Plan
Other/Future Election
6 Schedule and Next Steps
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9 A. List of possible projects (Regional & Local funds) (develop and add to website)- general project types, not project specific – per legal counsel.
A. Prioritize #1 for Price Canyon Road Improvements (Regional funds, South County) – Acknowledged Price Cyn as Regional Route.
B. Considered VMT or Road miles or collected sales tax for formula use. (Regional and/or Local funds) All considered by City Managers+CEO:
consensus for Population as formula basis.
C. Considered Subregional map change (Regional funds): Shift Morro Bay and Los Osos into Central Region (Leaves N. Coast with only Cambria, Cayucos, and no incorporated city. Sub-regional map based on long standing SLOCOG map/analysis areas.
D. Considered Cal Poly Campus population (Local funds) from uninc. to SLO:
Cal Poly is in District 5 and District 2. Impact: 8,000 beds, 2,000 cars, ~$500k reduction to uninc. county, corresponding increase to city. 10 Other Modifications Considered
11 Implementation Guidelines - Best Practices
Structured steps and key components
Ensure local control of funding and responsible
stewardship
Following voter approval of this Measure, the Authority (SLOCOG) shall adopt Implementation Guidelines
Shall establish procedures for project programming and delivery
Shall not expand or alter the uses of funds authorized by this Measure
12 DRAFT San Luis Obispo County Transportation Expenditure Plan .5% Sales tax
generates ~ $35M/yr +
a 30-year sunset
40% ($14.00M) Regional
Corridor Improvements
Population Basis to each
subregion
SLOCOG Board sets
priorities – requires public
input – every 2 years in CIP-
Only for Transportation
13 What is the Cost?
How will $ be spent? (Before spending)
Capital Improvement Program
More local control
Pavement Management Plan
Biennial Implementation Plan
Public Notice of Funds Use
How were $ spent (After spending)
Local Expenditure Reports
(ann.)
Annual Reports
Board Status Reports
Performance Assessments (5 yrs),
Comprehensive Program Review
(10 years)
14 Ensured Safeguards
To Augment transportation funds
Maintenance of Effort
Development Fees, mitigations,
and no supplanting
Oversight and Guarantees and More
30 year sunset
Financial Audits (annual)
Citizens’ Oversight Committee
Repercussions if $ spent
inappropriately
Timeliness use of funds
Amendment Process
Bonding Authority
15 Approved Expenditure Plan Modifications from Draft
Section V - Maintenance of Effort (MOE)
Update: Each Agency receiving revenues for “Local
Projects” shall annually maintain, at a minimum, the
same level of local fully discretionary general fund
revenues expended on average for fiscal years
2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26
Revenue from general or special tax measures over and above the agency’s baseline tax of 1 ½% will not be
counted as part of general fund revenues for the purposes of MOE
16 Approved Expenditure Plan Modifications from Draft
Section VI - Requirements for Eligible Jurisdictions
Item G. Time Limits for Us of Net Revenues for Regional Projects. 1. ….no more than twenty-four thirty-six months may be submitted to the Authority no less than ninety days prior to the deadline. The Authority may approve one or more requests for extension of the encumbrance deadline. 2. In the event the time limits for use of Net Revenues for Regional Projects are not satisfied then any retained Net Revenues that were allocated to an Eligible Jurisdiction and interest earned thereon shall be returned to the Authority…. Item I. Public Notice of Use of Measure Funds
Member agencies will provide the public with planned use of measure funding as part of its annual or biennial budget process. This includes each City and Community Advisory Council will receive at a minimum, twice yearly per programming year presentations from jurisdictional staff to review proposed investments prior to annual allocations
17 Approved Expenditure Plan Modifications from Draft
Section VII - Taxpayer Safeguards
A performance assessment shall be conducted at least once every three five years to evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness, economy and program results of the Authority in satisfying the provisions and requirements of the Investment Summary of the Plan, the Plan and the Ordinance. A copy of the performance assessment shall be provided to the Committee.
US 101 South County
Southbound through Shell
Beach – Funded!!
No funding to go further
Northbound – no funding
Interchanges – no funding
US 101 North County
Northbound – no funding
Southbound – no funding
Interchanges – no funding
18 Highway investment is needed
What could we fund?
19 Engagement Activities
Engagement & Input
Public
Presentations – ongoing
Online Tool – ongoing
Focus Groups – Aug. 2025
7 Community Workshops –
Oct. 2025
1,000 Phone/Internet Polled – Fall
2025
Topic Specific
City Managers/County CEO/Staff
Transit Providers
90+ public meetings
Flexibility:
priorities differ
Guarantees:
appropriate spending
Assurances:
$ will benefit them
Funding Approach: Central Coast Counties
Region ‘18 STIP
(1 Yr)
‘22 STIP
(1 Yr)
‘26 STIP
(1 Yr)
Transp-Tax
(2024)
Santa Cruz $4M $2.3M $1.9M $24.4M
Monterey $7.1M $3.9M $3.4M $34.8M
Santa Barbara $8.4M $4.6M $4.1M $48.9M
SLO $7.5M $4.1M $3.6M $0
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Approved Expenditure Plan Modifications from Draft
IV. Governing Board of Organization
Structure - Biennial Implementation Plan
• The San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) serves as the designated Local Transportation Authority for San Luis Obispo County and is responsible for administering the Transportation Measure in compliance with Public Utilities Code (PUC) 180000 et seq. Upon voter approval of the Transportation Measure, the Board of Directors of SLOCOG will serve as the Authority Board, hereafter the Authority, and will oversee its implementation in accordance with the plans and programs detailed in this and future updates of the Expenditure Plan.