Ventura County Transit Agreement Sent to Governor

The California State Senate gave unanimous approval Friday to Senate Bill 203 by Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), which gives smaller cities in Ventura County flexibility in spending transportation funds. The bill, which was approved previously by the Assembly, will be sent to Gov. Jerry Brown for signature. 

The legislation allows cities of 100,000 people or fewer in Ventura County to spend state Transportation Development Act funds on local roads, provided they meet their public transit needs. Such flexibility has already been given to similar cities in California, but Ventura County was excluded while it developed a countywide transit plan. The plan is now being finalized. 

SB 203 is sponsored by the Ventura County Transportation Commission and supported by the Ventura Council of Governments and the cities of Thousand Oaks, Moorpark and Camarillo. 

“The bill ensures that Ventura County is treated like all other newly urban California counties,” Pavley said. 

“Senator Pavley has long been a champion of public transit and SB 203 ensures that bus transit systems in Ventura County continue to address transit needs of Ventura County residents while providing some flexibility to use surplus funding to maintain city streets," said Darren Kettle, executive director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission.