Chapter 1. General Provisions of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 15. >> Chapter 1.

This division shall be known and may be cited as the Fresno County Transportation Improvement Act.

The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:
  (a) In Fresno County, regional transportation improvements and local transportation improvements and services are an immediate high priority needed to resolve the county's transportation problems that threaten the economic viability and development potential of the county and adversely impact the quality of life therein.
  (b) In order to deal in an expeditious manner with current and future transportation problems, the county needs to develop and implement a local funding program that goes significantly beyond current federal and state funding which is inadequate to resolve these problems.
  (c) It is in the public interest to allow the voters of Fresno County to continue the Fresno County Transportation Authority so that local transportation decisions can be implemented in a timely manner to provide regional transportation improvements and to meet local transportation needs.

It is the intent of the Legislature that funds generated pursuant to this division not replace property tax revenues which would otherwise be expended for roads and transportation purposes.

This division shall be liberally construed in order to effectuate its purposes. No inadvertent error, irregularity, informality, or the inadvertent neglect or omission of any officer, in any procedure taken under this division, other than fraud, shall void or invalidate that proceeding or any levy imposed to finance highway improvements or local transportation needs.

"Authority" means the Fresno County Transportation Authority created pursuant to this division in the County of Fresno.

"Board of supervisors" means the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.

"County" means the County of Fresno.

"Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area" means that area within the adopted spheres of influence of the Cities of Fresno and Clovis, as approved and amended by the local agency formation commission.

"Transportation planning agency" means the Council of Fresno County Governments or any other agency which may be designated by the Governor as responsible for regional transportation planning within the county to comply with federal and state requirements.

The authority is terminated two years from the last day on which the transactions and use tax authorized by this division is collected and as of that date this division is repealed.