Supervisor Mary Piepho Speaks Out About East Bay Issues!

By Mary Nejedly Piepho:   When I took office in 2005, my priorities were to implement more prudent Contra Costa county spending practices, improve transportation, and preserve and enhance the county’s agricultural economic vitality.   Midway through my fourth year as Contra Costa County Supervisor, I am please to report success in each of these areas.

COUNTY BUDGET    County finances are an area of most concern.  When I came on the board, the county had been spending down its reserves and been placed on the watch list by the major bond rating agencies. My first day on the job, I was appointed to the Board’s subcommittee on finance and later chaired it.  Since then, the board has established more prudent spending policies, including reducing spending to match annual revenue (no deficit spending), limiting the growth of spending in good years to better position us for bad years, and routinely using multi-year budget forecasts to understand the financial implications of decisions.    Because of these policies, the rainy day reserve fund has grown from about $59 million at its lowest to more than $146 million total, and, the county has not only been removed from the watch list but the bond rating agencies (Moodys and Standard and Poors) have now assigned the highest short-term bond rating to the county.  The implementation of these spending practices has positioned the county to better weather the current economic storm we are facing this year. 

TRANSPORTATION    Improving traffic congestion and safety is a challenge through out District 3 and the county.  From Discovery Bay to San Ramon, and all points in between, people want their roads and transportation infrastructure improved to meet peek hour demand.  Safety on Vasco Road is paramount. Thanks to aggressive enforcement, sustained public education and the flexible delineators installed at my request, there were no fatal accidents on Vasco in 2007 and accidents dropped significantly. These are numbers we can all live with.    This year, the Highway 4 Bypass will be completed which connects Highway 4 in Antioch with the Marsh Creek Road/Walnut Blvd./Vasco Road area. Widening Highway 4 to the Antioch Bridge and E-Bart are fully funded and will be completed by 2015.  The fourth bore addition to the Caldecott tunnel is also progressing at a rapid pace and will provide further transportation relief to our county’s residents.    Our local trails also encourage another mode of transportation.  While trails have traditionally been considered recreational amenities, they are evolving into a “green” commute alternative.  I have been working with Supervisor Glover, East Contra Costa cities, the East Bay Regional Parks District and local water agencies to develop an East Contra Costa County Trail Master Plan. 

AGRICULTURAL VITALITY    Preserving and enhancing the county’s agricultural heritage is very important.  Working with local farmers, we have moved forward many initiatives to help incentivize local growers and drive up their economic abilities. Two changes will make it easier for winery and olive oil producers to open tasting rooms and allow growers to sell value-added products such as jams and dried fruits at roadside stands.     The latest initiative, Buy-Fresh, Buy-Local, will connect East County growers with potential customers in other parts of the County, particularly those with poor access to locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables.   It also encourages county departments to purchaser locally grown produce for use in our county’s food delivery system.

FAR EAST COUNTY COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENTS  The future of the Byron Airport is laid out in the recently released Byron Airport Master Plan. In May, another step was taken towards making the master plan a reality when Byron Jet Center broke ground on the first phase of the nearly 70,000 square foot expansion. 

These are just a few of the major accomplishments that have been completed since I took office in 2005.  Thank you so much for the support you continue to provide me and my Team.  I look forward to being of service to Contra Costa County for many years to come.

Related posts:

1. Carole Rodoni Speaks About East Bay Real Estate Issues
2. East Bay Politics – One Week To Go Until CNN Finds New Issues To Daily Dissect!
3. East Bay Real Estate Community Food Drive!

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Filed Under: Blog, Community Events, News

Tagged: Contra Costa County Board Of Supervisoros, east bay real estate, Jim Walberg, Mary Piepho