Summary
September 11, 2024
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor of California
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Senate Bill 904 (Dodd): Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District – Request for Signature
Dear Governor Newsom,
On behalf of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, I respectfully urge your signature on SB 904 (Dodd), which updates provisions related to the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) District and its operations.
Under existing law, the SMART District operates within Sonoma and Marin Counties, providing passenger and freight rail services. SMART is governed by a 12-member board of directors appointed by local government entities, and is authorized to submit tax measures to voters to support its operations.
SB 904 would make several important updates to the district’s legal framework. First, it would authorize a qualified voter initiative to propose a special tax for the district. The bill would also require the Sonoma and Marin County Board of Supervisors to call a special election for tax measures proposed either by the SMART Board of Directors or through a qualified voter initiative. Additionally, SB 904 mandates that SMART reimburse the counties for any costs associated with these elections.
Moreover, SB 904 removes restrictions that previously limited the placement of commuter rail stations north of Healdsburg in Sonoma County to only incorporated areas. The bill also increases the threshold for purchases requiring competitive bidding for supplies, equipment, and materials from $40,000 to $75,000. For construction projects, the threshold remains at $10,000, and contracts for these projects will continue to be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.
This bill allows for greater efficiency and flexibility of SMART in serving residents of Marin and Sonoma Counties – and ensures those residents are given a voice in planning future SMART projects in their communities. For these reasons, I respectfully request your signature on SB 904.
Respectfully,
Dennis Rodoni, President
Marin County Board of Supervisors
Cc: Marin County Board of Supervisors
Senator Bill Dodd
Senator Mike McGuire
Assemblymember Damon Connolly
View the document
This document may not work with all assistive technology and is being remediated. For alternative formats, please email Talia Smith or phone 415-473-6358. To use the California relay service, dial 711.