Sue Frost guest editorial: Why Sacramento should reject a new sales tax

Living in Sacramento County, we all know how essential our roads are. Every day, whether we're heading to work, dropping off kids at school or running errands, we rely on our roads. With more than 5,200 miles of roads used by nearly 85 percent of us, the importance of maintaining and improving our road infrastructure is clear. We also know far too many of our roads are in a dangerous state of disrepair and critical improvements are bogged down in bureaucratic agendas. Recently, the Sacramento Transportation Authority (STA) suggested forming a seven-member subcommittee to consider if we need another sales tax increase – but most of the funds are allocated for underused public transit and questionable environmental programs. I voted against this because the idea doesn't meet the needs of most county residents, especially those living in rural communities like Orangevale and Rio Linda who rely heavily on roads. We've seen similar tax proposals fail before, like Measure B in 2016, which didn't address the real concerns of our community. Our roads rank among the worst in the nation, affecting us all every day. There is an obvious need for serious improvements to our roads and highways. This isn't just about patching up potholes but making big changes to cut down on traffic, make our drives safer and improve our quality of life. We need to make sure every dollar spent is watched over closely and used well. I'm not a knee-jerk opponent of all taxes. But I firmly believe in being transparent about how any new tax money would be used, ensuring there's a clear end date for these taxes. We need to be careful and clear, demonstrating exactly what improvements will be funded and when the taxes will expire to avoid undue financial pressure on our taxpayers. Our residents want to see real, lasting results from their taxes, not more empty promises. Our main goal should be to focus on actions that genuinely improve our roads. This is the practical and necessary choice for our community's well-being. Thank you for reading – and as always, if you want to contact me, call me at 916-874-5491 or e-mail me at SupervisorFrost@saccounty.gov. Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost represents the 4th District, which includes the communities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, Orangevale, Antelope, North Highlands, Rio Linda, Elverta and Rancho Murieta.