SANDAG: SDCTA Recommendations to Improve Clarity and Transparency for the Taxpayer (2017)
SDCTA's working group has evaluated the recent errors made by SANDAG in its revenue forecasting and cost estimation and the communication of those errors with the public. The group found that the large quantity of information shared with the public on current and future transportation projects, though important, can in fact make it more difficult for taxpayers to determine the most important facts that will be directly relevant to their neighborhoods. Both the SANDAG Board of Directors and SANDAG's member agencies can improve public understanding of these projects by simplifying the information shared and providing frequent opportunities to discuss that information and relay local priorities between SANDAG, SANDAG member agencies, and San Diego County communities. In order to prevent SANDAG's recent errors from reoccurring and promote an open dialogue and public participation in the region's transportation endeavors, the working group developed six recommendations that will enhance understanding of complex projects and proposals for both SANDAG's member agencies and the public at large. All of the recommendations call for increased communications, so if errors do surface they would be recognized earlier on in the process and corrected, preventing them from becoming larger issues down the road.