Published Tuesday, April 5, 2011, by the San Jose Mercury News

Editorial

Few signs of life on Caltrain board

Perhaps, in the quest for government perfection, we should be looking to
Caltrain. For the past three years, every board vote has been unanimous, Mercury
News reporter Mike Rosenberg wrote last week. And every item the board passed
came from the staff, not a single idea from a board member. The popular commuter
system must be one perfect operation.

Oopsie.

Caltrain is on the brink of disaster. For lack of reliable operating revenue, it
may have to slash the number of trains it runs and close as many as half its
stations, wreaking havoc on commutes and abandoning riders who have heeded the
civic call to use transit.

In response to Rosenberg's report, Caltrain directors suggested that people
focus instead on how to pass a tax measure to save the commuter line. Well, one
of the things people look at when they're considering new taxes is how carefully
public agencies are overseen by their governing boards.

Oopsie again.

Two core problems seem to be at work here.

One is that conversations are taking place out of public view to resolve
questions that otherwise might arise at public meetings. This is not the way
government is supposed to work under California's Brown Act.

The more complex issue is the nature of the board, with elected officials from
San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties appointed to serve on it. The
board members are not held accountable for this regional work: Nobody will vote
for or against Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager, for example, because of
what he's doing or not doing at Caltrain. So there isn't much incentive to do
great work.

We wish everything were fine at Caltrain because the rail line is indisputably
essential to Silicon Valley and the region. Fortunately, the Valley
Transportation Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission have
ideas for salvaging the service, and business leaders, including the Silicon
Valley Leadership Group, are stepping up.

We appreciate that at least one public board is free of partisan bickering. But
is it too much to ask for some signs of life?


[BATN: See also:

Caltrain ridership rises for eighth time in past 9 months
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/47859

Caltrain woes linked to nearing SamTrans suicide by BART
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/47858

Caltrain board rubber-stamps everything, despite historic crisis
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/47857 ]