Senate committee backs SB 512 to let transportation districts use ballot initiatives for sales taxes

A California State Senate committee voted to concur in assembly amendments to SB 512, the bill’s author, Senator Perez, said the measure clarifies that voters in transportation districts may qualify local transportation sales-tax measures by citizens’ ballot initiative.

SB 512, Perez said, “clarifies and ensures voters in a transportation district can exercise their right to propose and pass a transportation transactions and use tax measure by means of a citizen's ballot initiative.” The bill’s backers told the committee that aligning the Elections Code with Proposition 218 and other statutes will reduce litigation risk and allow voters to fund transportation projects that benefit their communities.

The bill matters because the committee was asked to resolve…