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SBCTA official outlines Measure I investments; Victorville officials press for High Desert priorities
Summary
Otis Greer of the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority briefed the Victorville City Council on Measure I funding, the return-to-source principle and local project priorities. Council members asked for more High Desert-focused investments and clarification on the program's annual yield.
Otis Greer, director of legislative and public affairs for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, briefed the Victorville City Council on Measure I on June 17, describing the voter-approved half-cent sales tax, its oversight mechanisms and how funds are returned to the generating region.
Greer told the council that Measure I was originally approved by voters in 1989 and was renewed in 2004 to run through 2040. He described key program features including an independent tax oversight committee, a 1% cap on administrative fees and a return-to-source mechanism that directs revenue back to the region that generated it. Greer said Measure I has contributed to regional projects and local streets and transit programs and provided the council with an information sheet and a short video summarizing accomplishments and planned priorities.
Council members pressed for more High Desert emphasis. Mayor Pro Tem Herriman and Councilmember Jones noted Victorville’s rapid growth and urged SBCTA to prioritize north–south corridor improvements and projects that will serve the High Desert as the region expands. Councilmember Jones and others said the city should receive a visible demonstration that Measure I investment matches local needs.
Council members also asked about the program’s yield. When asked how much Measure I generates countywide each year, Greer said the estimate is about $250 million annually and noted that the share returned to any particular jurisdiction depends on the return-to-source formula and other funding matches. He also said Measure I dollars are often leveraged with state and federal grants to deliver larger regional projects.
Greer invited local feedback and directed council members and residents to SBCTA’s website for details of the Measure I plan and project lists. No formal council action was required or taken on the presentation; the item was listed for information and technical questions.
The council and staff discussed the working relationship between city engineering staff and SBCTA and confirmed that Victorville project requests and plans are transmitted through the city’s engineering department for regional planning and funding consideration.
Greer concluded by asking for input from the city and said SBCTA welcomes public comment on its priorities, adding that the agency seeks continued collaboration with High Desert jurisdictions on future Measure I decisions.
