COUNTYWIDE : County Issue Incentives...

Yes, I think so and I think there need to be strong incentives. When my husband and I were commuting to work, it sort of took a little push for us to do it, but once we did do it we realized you don’t need a car every day, and you can live without a car. I think it’s very, very important to have these kinds of programs because people just aren’t going to do it without some kind of compensation, particularly with the price of gas. It is important to get people thinking in this kind of mode. Of course it’s easy when you live together to work those things out. We saved a lot of money not driving two cars. I think the main thing is that once people start doing it they realize, hey, this isn’t such a bad deal after all. Traffic is not that bad yet here in western Ventura County so people don’t get worried about getting stuck in traffic jams. But we should ride share for air pollution, which is the best reason of all.

Maria E. VanderKolk, Ventura County supervisor

This was a difficult decision for our board. The county has scarce resources, and we have many needs for services. At the same time, we have something like the sixth worst air pollution in the nation and a very difficult ozone problem. The county is being threatened with all sorts of economic sanctions from the Environmental Protection Agency. It is doubly difficult in this county to convince people we have a problem because you don’t see the need the way you do in L.A. or Orange County. Here we have the smog, but it’s difficult to see and to get people to change their behavior. And the only truly successful behavioral modification programs in L.A. and Orange County have been with cash incentives. So in order to be effective, our board understood that it would take more than a gentle prodding. And I think somewhat reluctantly we felt we could do it, and encourage others to increase ride-sharing to clear up the air.

Richard Wittenberg, County chief administrative officer

Yes, I think it is a really good idea. I don’t think it’s the only answer, but it helps alleviate the problem of trying to encourage people of different income levels to equally share in solving a problem. By paying everybody the same amount, it helps equalize the responsibility and mitigates what otherwise might be a stress for people at lower income levels. It’s essential that we stop using our individual auto for every trip we make and I think those people going to the same place of employment ought to ride share. This should be accompanied by serious programs to develop public transportation. The Greens are not in favor of programs that are going to expand the development and the building of new highways. And unfortunately what often happens is the construction of more highways is combined with the carrot of public transportation development, and that part of it doesn’t get prioritized.

Mindy Lorenz, California Green Party coordinating committee member

No, I don’t think so. Well, to begin with, the county budget is in a tough position right now. The county has limited reserves. And with the small reserves in the budget, I believe that the money that they do have could best be spent on other programs. There is a great need for spending on social programs, for example. Obviously there is a need to clean up the air and we all recognize that, but employees should take it upon themselves to ride share without financial incentives. There are, I suppose, things the county could do as far as providing other incentives, parking passes for employees that would be good on alternate days, something of that nature might work. But I look at cash incentives to county employees as almost a gift of public funds to do something they should be doing voluntarily.

Jere Robings, Executive director, Ventura County Taxpayers Assn.

Yes, because it is a positive incentive to encourage people to get out of their single-occupant vehicles to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion. It happens to be an effective incentive and that’s why I say yes. If the alternative is perhaps a negative incentive, such as requiring employees to pay for parking here or anywhere, that strategy is the most effective, but the least liked by employees. Based on Environmental Protection Agency data for 1989, our peak ozone levels in Ventura County are ranked ninth worst in the United States. We used to be fourth worst so things are improving. Also, we exceed the ozone standard around 50 days each year, which is one of the highest frequencies in the United States. The county’s incentive alone won’t make much of a dent in the problem, but the county is only one of several hundred companies who are also required to develop trip-reduction plans. Collectively, it will make a difference.

Richard H. Baldwin, County air pollution control officer.