Tahoe bike group takes wait-and-see approach to Measure S revision

By Ty Polastri

In 2000, the residents of South Lake Tahoe approved a bond to raise monies for recreational facilities and bicycle path maintenance. In 2009, an effort by the Joint Powers Authority, who administers the bond monies, advanced a Measure B to reallocate the accruing bicycle path maintenance funds for recreational facilities beyond the scope of the original Measure S. That measure was narrowly defeated – requiring a two-thirds vote for passage.

The JPA is presently taking steps to revisit the possibility of advancing another measure in which to allocate as much as $500,000 bike path maintenance funds to ball fields and broaden the scope of bike path maintenance to include paths built prior to the 2000 Measure stipulations.

The reason there is nearly $470,000 currently accruing for bike paths is because expenditures are earmarked for trails built after 2000, which there are few and not needing attention, and to insure that sufficient funds be available for future bike trails. Bike path maintenance funds are a condition for new paths being built and there are several in various planning stages.

Now, that the Bike Coalition is a 501(c)3 tax exempt educational corporation, it is restricted in what it can and cannot do with regards to advocating a political or legislative position. However, it is unclear about advocating for or against a ballot measure. Therefore, the coalition is seeking a legal opinion. Until then, the board of directors reached a consensus that it would remain neutral about the proposed measure until such time that it receives a legal opinion. The coalition will be providing information and analysis of details regarding bike path maintenance and the essential elements of being a bicycle-friendly community should the JPA decide to place this measure on the ballot.

Ty Polastri is president of the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition.