San Luis Obispo City Council backs county transportation expenditure plan for half‑cent sales tax

San Luis Obispo — The City Council voted unanimously on March 17 to support the San Luis Obispo County Transportation Expenditure Plan (TEP) that would accompany a proposed countywide 0.5% (half‑cent) transportation sales tax measure if placed on the November 2026 ballot.

Jennifer Rice, the city’s deputy director for mobility services, and Annie Bauski, representing the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG), presented the final TEP and explained the plan’s purpose: to improve project competitiveness for state and federal transportation grants and generate local funding to repair and upgrade the county’s transportation network.

Bauski told council the measure is estimated to generate about $35 million a year, roughly $1 billion over a proposed 30‑year sunset. Under the draft allocation, approximately 55% of funds would be available for local road repairs and safety improvements; about 40% would support regional corridor projects (subdivided into county subregions); 4% would go toward mobility programs for seniors, people with disabilities and veterans; and up to 1% would cover administrative costs and audits.

Bauski said the expenditure plan is intentionally framed around general project types rather than named projects because Slocog legal counsel advised that naming specific projects could be treated as advocacy rather than information sharing. She also described a citizens’ oversight committee modeled on SLOCOG’s board representation to review funding and audits.

Council members asked for clarification about reporting frequency (performance audits changed from every three years to five years in the final plan) and whether a pending citizen‑led initiative mirrored the adopted plan. Bauski said the citizens’ initiative appears to closely mirror the SLOCOG plan but would require a lower approval threshold if it reaches the ballot (50%+1 versus SLOCOG’s 66% requirement when placed by the board).

Two public speakers — Rachel Whalen of the SLO Chamber of Commerce and Brad Brepwald, a citizen volunteer — urged the council to support the resolution, warning that a council “no” could create confusion among voters and weaken the measure’s chances to unlock hundreds of millions in matching state and federal grants.

Mayor Erica A. Stewart moved the resolution of support; Councilmember Boswell seconded. City clerk roll call recorded a unanimous vote, 5‑0, in favor of forwarding the council’s support to SLOCOG.

Next steps: SLOCOG will take the plan to its board for possible final action in June; if approved, the measure could appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. Council and staff will continue to track the citizen initiative, outreach and reporting provisions.