A regional governing body delayed a decision Thursday on whether the need for Santa Maria Valley farmworker transportation fits its criteria for state funding, but is taking steps that could position it to support the idea in the future.

The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) continued its annual hearing on "unmet transit needs" for the second time to give staff time to evaluate unspecified new information related to options for farmworker transportation.

For two years, farmworkers have asked the SBCAG board to recognize their need to get to work as an unmet transit need, and thus eligible for state funding. Last year the SBCAG board rejected the farmworker request, because it applies to a specific group rather than the general population - thus not meeting the board's definition of an unmet transit need.

This year staff is recommending the same conclusion for an additional reason. Farmworkers' need to get to work is not a "public transit need" that would be addressed through a typical bus system, but rather a transportation need that could be addressed through other means, explained Jim Kemp, executive director of SBCAG. Therefore, the need does not fit SBCAG's definition of an unmet-transit-need.

But advocates are hoping that the SBCAG board, when it votes next month, changes that perspective.

"We are here this morning with the same request we asked for in January 2004," said Jesus Estrada, coordinator of the Oaxacan Indigenous Binational Front. "We hope that you approve funds soon for transport for farmworkers."

Every year about $6 million in state Transit Development Act (TDA) funding is available in both the North County and on the South Coast to provide for unmet transit needs. The money comes from a state-wide sales tax on gasoline.

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The SBCAG board allocates funding to unmet-transit-needs considered "reasonable to meet," but uses the money for potholes when the requests do not meet specific criteria. While the southern half of the county channels the money to the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) and Easy Lift for bus services, about $3.5 million of the North County money - in Santa Maria, Lompoc and county coffers - has traditionally gone to road repairs.

The SBCAG board discussed in closed session a lawsuit over that practice , though it took no reportable action. However, Marc Chytilo, the attorney filing the suit, said the vote delay is a sign that the board is taking the suit seriously. The suit was filed on behalf of David Pierce of Lompoc, Jesus Estrada of Santa Maria, and Our Children's Earth Foundation, a nonprofit group active in air-quality issues.

"If they wanted to completely ignore us, they would have decided to vote today," Chytilo said.

"We're trying to achieve a sea change in the county's transportation policy, and it turns out that the fulcrum is TDA funds that three agencies are misdirecting," Chytilo said, referring to the agencies that use TDA funding for potholes rather than transit.

The Coalition for Sustainable Transportation (COAST) has proposed a fixed "strawberry circulator" transit-route that would carry farmworkers to the fields in the Santa Maria Valley during the months of March through August as an option for the board to consider.

Chytilo said the groups he represents are making progress. SBCAG staff has recommended the board this year review its definition of unmet transit needs, the policy statement that has prevented farmworker transit from meeting the criteria for funding in the past two years. Advocates claim the board's current definition should allow farmworkers to qualify for funding, as do seniors, the disabled and Vandenberg Air Force Base workers.

In addition, Santa Barbara County has committed to exploring a private contract for van pools that would carry farmworkers to the fields, similar to a successful program in Kern County.

Other improvements did not make the staff-recommended list of unmet transit needs because they did not meet the criteria, they are already under way, or they are planned for the future. Among them are a stop at Bonita School on the Guadalupe Flyer route; more frequent Santa Maria Area Transit (SMAT) weekend service; more frequent stops on the route to Marian Medical Center; service to Rancho Verde and the YMCA; later Sunday service starting in 2006; and extended evening SMAT hours beginning in 2007.

The next SBCAG meeting is at 8:30 a.m. June 16 at the County Administration Building, Board Hearing Room, fourth floor, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara.

* Staff writer Erin Carlyle can be reached at 739-2218 or by

e-mail at ecarlyle@pulitzer.net.

May 20, 2005