| Last Updated: | 2/5/2010 |
| Budget Issue: | The budget proposes to shift roughly $4.5 million in funding from the State Highway Account (SHA) now used to support 96.5 positions that develop Project Initiation Documents (PIDs) to reimbursements from local transportation agencies. |
| Program: | Department of Transportation - Project Initiation Documents |
| Finding or Recommendation: | We withhold recommendation pending submission of an April Finance Letter ad-dressing the staffing needs for the entire Planning Program. |
The budget proposal is consistent with the LAO recommendation made in 2009-10, found in our Analysis of the 2009-10 Governor’s Budget, and we continue to think that work for local transportation agencies should be done on a reimbursement basis. Caltrans and the Department of Finance now indicate that an April Finance Letter is being considered which would address the workload of Caltrans’ entire Planning Program, including the PID development efforts discussed in this request. Therefore, we recommend holding this item open until the Finance Letter is submitted so that these decisions about funding sources and workload can be coordinated more effectively.