A Stockton City Council discussion over a $62 million transit funding dispute turned chaotic Tuesday after Mayor Christina Fugazi delivered a presentation in place of a missing San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) representative that omitted key details about the disputed funds.
The dispute centers on tens of millions in state and local funds. About $43.3 million comes from California Senate Bill 125, and roughly $19.1 million comes from a voter-approved sales tax in San Joaquin County, Measure K, funds that the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) denied RTD. Fugazi chairs the SJCOG board.
Documentation provided by Vice Mayor Jason Lee shows SJCOG denied reimbursement for RTD projects, putting $62.4 million in SB 125 and Measure K funding in limbo. Lee said the presentation Fugazi delivered omitted critical slides detailing the funding timeline, allocations, denials and RTD’s resulting fiscal shortfall…