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Arroyo Grande hears SLOCOG’s draft transportation-expenditure plan; council raises equity and governance concerns

Arroyo Grande City Council · January 14, 2026

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Summary

Kendall Flint and SLOCOG staff presented a draft countywide transportation-expenditure plan proposing a half‑cent sales tax (about $35 million/year) split 55% local, 40% regional, 4% senior/disabled/veterans mobility and 1% administration; councilors asked for clearer protections on regional allocations and loaning language.

Kendall Flint, consultant to the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG), presented the draft county transportation expenditure plan during the Jan. 13 Arroyo Grande City Council meeting and sought council input. Flint said a half‑cent sales tax would generate an estimated $35 million a year; 55% of revenues would be distributed to local agencies by population for local street and road maintenance and other locally chosen projects, 40% would fund regional projects split among four subregions, 4% would go to mobility services for seniors, disabled residents and veterans, and 1% would fund oversight and reporting.

Flint described extensive public outreach (more than 70 public meetings and focus groups, plus polling) and noted the plan’s intent to preserve local flexibility: project lists were intentionally removed from the plan so agencies can prioritize projects through their own public processes. Flint said regional projects must be in the regional transportation plan and noted that interregional loans between regions or agencies can occur through memoranda of understanding; however, SLOCOG staff emphasized that project prioritization and funding decisions would be made by the SLOCOG board.

Council members pressed on several governance and equity matters: whether the regional split should follow supervisorial districts rather than four subregions; how the board’s composition might allow a majority to reallocate funds without a region’s consent; and whether language should be added to the measure to require regional consent for certain transfers. Flint acknowledged those concerns and said staff could consider tightening the language to protect regional interests and clarify timelines for programmed funds so loans do not leave regions disadvantaged.

Flint also reminded the council that, if the plan is approved by the SLOCOG board to place on the ballot, it would require a two‑thirds majority of county voters, would take effect in April 2027 if passed, and would run for 30 years. Flint and SLOCOG staff said they will return to cities for more input at upcoming meetings and asked Arroyo Grande to provide feedback ahead of a SLOCOG board vote scheduled in early February.