Governor vetoes bill for third bridge in Yuba-sutter

Gallagher says ‘we are going to give it another shot’

For the second year in a row, a bill that would see state funds allocated to the Yuba-sutter area to construct a third bridge along the Feather River was vetoed by the governor, despite passing both the Assembly and Senate.

In the 1990s, Caltrans purchased land in both Yuba and Sutter counties to build a third bridge. Lack of funding resulted in the state scrapping the project. Assembly Bill 449, authored by local Assemblyman James Gallagher, would’ve seen the sale proceeds from the right-of-way land owned by the state coming back to the area to help local officials build a new crossing.

The bill received bipartisan support and nearly passed both the Assembly and the Senate unanimously. However, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill last Friday – along with a similar senate bill for a bypass in Monterey County. Newsom’s decision last week mimics his predecessor, Jerry Brown, who also vetoed a similar bill authored by Gallagher the year before.

“Existing law establishes a process for programming transportation projects and directs revenues from sales of excess Caltrans property to the General Fund to be used to pay for transportation debt service,” Newsom wrote in his veto letter regarding AB 449 and Senate Bill 628. “These bills create an exception to existing law

FELONY ARRESTS

18, of the 800 block of 12th Street, Marysville, was arrested by the Marysville Police Department at 4:20 a.m. Sept. 30 at her residence on suspicion of obstructing or resisting an executive officer. She was booked into Yuba County Jail.

34, of the 1900 block of Hammoton Smartsville Road, Marysville, was arrested by the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office at 10:29 p.m. Sept. 29 at his residence on suspicion of threatening to commit a crime. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.

47, of the 700 block of Regent Loop, Yuba City, was arrested by the Yuba City Police Department at 2:14 p.m. Sept. 29 at his residence on suspicion of inflicting corporal injury and false imprisonment. He was booked into Sutter County Jail.

Michael N. Hernandez, 23, of the 1800 block of Tuscany Drive, Yuba City, was arrested by the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office at 12:12 p.m. Sept. 29 on suspicion of discharging a firearm in a negligent manner. He was booked into Sutter County Jail.

19, of the 300 block of Second Street, Yuba City, was arrested by the Yuba City Police Department at 10:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at his residence on suspicion of possessing controlled substances while armed with a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of a large capacity magazine and carrying a loaded firearm after previously being convicted of a felony. He was booked into Sutter County Jail.

41, of the 400 block of Miles Avenue, Yuba City, was arrested by the Yuba City Police Department at 10:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at his residence on suspicion of threatening to commit a crime and battery of a spouse. He was booked into Sutter County Jail.

Adrian J. Mcdonald, 26, of the 5200 block of Lindhurst Avenue, Olivehurst, was arrested by the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office at 4 a.m. Sept. 28 at his residence on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime, burglary and committing a felony while out on bail. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.

Justin K. Dobbins, 26, of the 5200 block of Elizabeth Avenue, Olivehurst, was arrested by the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office at 4 a.m. Sept. 28 at the 5200 block of Lindhurst Avenue on suspicion of burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.

that would negatively impact the General Fund by millions of dollars. If other jurisdictions are provided similar exceptions the General Fund would be exposed to additional revenue losses in the future.”

Gallagher said he was disappointed in Newsom’s decision and hoped the new governor would look at the issue a little differently from his predecessor. He said the governor

Abigail M. Morse, 22, of the 1600 block of Black Angus Way, Olivehurst, was arrested by the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office at 4 a.m. Sept. 28 at the 5200 block of Lindhurst Avenue on suspicion of burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime. She was booked into Yuba County Jail.

DUI ARRESTS

Michael A. Elliot, 31, of the 700 block of E 21st Street, Marysville, was arrested by the Marysville

looked at the issue from the perspective of the precedent it would set, rather than the positive impacts it would have on the community about an hour north from the state capital.

“I think (this project) would have saved money in the long-term because it was allowing a local project to move forward, and we could’ve taken those state funds to build a project that the state Police Department at 1:56 a.m. Sept. 29. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.

39, of Sacramento, was arrested by California Highway Patrol at 12:47 a.m. Sept. 29. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.

Marina K. Miranda Chacon, 24, of Plumas Lake, was arrested by California Highway Patrol at 1:41 a.m. Sept. 28 on Highway 70. She was booked into Sutter County Jail.

wouldn’t have had to do itself,” he said. “These are infrastructure needs that aren’t going away. To me, it’s a good use of state funds by contributing to a local project and having the locals do it.”

His bill included plans to use the funds to build a “low-flow” crossing south of the current bridges. A low-flow crossing would be much less expensive than a full-blown bridge because it is shorter and

at a lower elevation – it would be impassable when the Feather River’s water elevation was at its highest during winter months.

Despite the veto, Gallagher said, the plan isn’t off the table just yet, though it would need to go through a different process.

“It seems like they are leaving the door open for this to be part of the budget process,” he said. “We will pick this up from

there and see if maybe we can get this incorporated in the budget and go that route.”

Throughout the process, the public has shown great support for a third bridge, he said. The next opportunity to push the plan forward is through a state budget request, rather than a piece of legislation.

“I’m not giving up,” Gallagher said. “We are going to give it another shot.”