THOUSAND OAKS : Project May Use Air Quality Funds

Thousand Oaks council members tonight will consider dipping into their Air Quality Fund to subsidize a project designed to showcase the information superhighway.

The Caltrans Advanced Telecommunications Project aims to demonstrate the power of computer technology by teaching business people how to hold video conferences and tap into vast data banks.

Once users become adept at navigating the information superhighway, Caltrans officials hope they will become hooked. And the more business they can transact through their keyboards, the less need they will have to drive city streets.

The council will consider donating $100,000, which would be used to fix up office space in the Civic Arts Plaza to house the telecommunications project. The city has already contributed $14,000 to secure a matching-funds grant from the state and federal government.

Councilman Frank Schillo said he is eager to support the project, which includes an “exploratorium” stocked with the latest high-tech equipment.

Using the city’s Air Quality Fund, he said, is “a natural, because when people use this technology, it means they’re not driving around” and polluting the air.

But Councilwoman Elois Zeanah has raised concern that the program would not effectively boot drivers off the street. Air Quality Fund money, which is usually extracted from developers, should be used to support projects that are guaranteed to reduce car trips, she said.

“What documentation does the city have that this program will work?” Zeanah asked.