/EINPresswire.com/ -- IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - March 30, 2017) - Orange County Business Council, the leading voice of business for America's sixth most populous county, commends Governor Brown and legislative leaders in developing a transportation funding package that both ensures much-needed system reforms in addition to new funding for road repairs, which would be guaranteed by a constitutional amendment as enumerated today.

The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 will be inserted into transportation bill SB 1 (Beall). It provides for roughly $52 billion over 10 years, with two-thirds dedicated to fixing roads and bridges at the state and local levels. One third of the funding is slated for transit expansion and operations as well as capacity improvements to help relieve congested roads. Under this proposal state funding is available for local agencies to match local funding, leveraging local tax dollars.

"This is a critical moment for Californians," said Lucy Dunn, OCBC's President and CEO. "No one disputes that the state's transportation system is in disrepair. The Council has long advocated that any new funding measures must come hand in hand with strong accountability measures and reforms. We thank Governor Brown and legislative leaders for hearing our concerns."

Among the reforms in the package is increased oversight of Caltrans by the California Transportation Commission, as well as innovative procurement measures for the agency to take in order to assure public funds are maximized. The package will now be considered by the California Legislature, where OCBC is encouraged by the announcement of this deal, studying the details and advocating support for this comprehensive solution to the full legislature.

About OCBC:
Orange County Business Council is the leading voice of business in Orange County, California. OCBC represents and promotes the business community, working with government and academia, to enhance Orange County's economic development and prosperity in order to preserve a high quality of life. OCBC serves member and investor businesses with nearly 250,000 employees and 2,000,000 worldwide. In providing a proactive forum for business and supporting organizations, OCBC helps assure the financial growth of America's sixth largest county. For more information, visit www.ocbc.org.