Caltrans Did Not Spend Tax Money on a Party
* On April 21, you ran an article titled “Party Planned to Build Bridge with Neighbors,” listing Caltrans as a sponsor.
I am writing to reassure your readers that Caltrans does not spend taxpayer dollars on parties. Californians have the right to expect their tax money to be spent wisely and appropriately.
Caltrans, as administrator of the freeway and state highway systems in California, uses this revenue strictly on new projects or repair and upkeep of our existing system.
If a state contractor wishes to host an event to say thank you to a community for its patience while work was in progress, that is commendable. But it is between the contractor and the neighborhood.
Caltrans also is committed to being a considerate neighbor by striving to minimize any impact our work may have on a community.
When we are unable to do that--as in the case of residents living adjacent to the rebuilding of the earthquake-damaged Santa Monica and Simi Valley freeways--Caltrans provided temporary hotel accommodations.
What Caltrans could not do was pay residents to stay in their homes while freeway work was under way. If anyone along the Santa Monica Freeway 10 misunderstood our position, then on behalf of Caltrans, I apologize.
JERRY B. BAXTER
Los Angeles
Baxter is the District 7 director for the California Department of Transportation.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
