Streets

The Street and Drainage Division is under the supervision of the Public Works Department and is funded by the gas tax. The division is responsible for maintaining the streets within the City limits. This may include:
  • Drainage services
  • ECR Median Maintenance
  • Sidewalk repair/maintenance
  • Street repairs
  • Traffic sign repair/replacement
  • Tree trimming
A man with a jack hammer working on a road.

Funding

Most of the revenue for this division is obtained from the Gas Fund which accounts for use of fuel tax imposed on the use of certain fuels but not on their sale or distribution. The Use fuel taxes provide revenue for planning, constructing and maintaining California's publicly maintained surface streets, roadways and public mass transit systems. A user is any person who uses fuel to propel a motor vehicle on a highway. This includes owners, operators, lessors, or lessees of any vehicle that is operated on a highway.

Except for specific exclusions provided by law, users are generally required to obtain a permit, report all taxable use of fuel, and, if necessary, pay use fuel tax to the BOE. Revenues from the gas tax are deposited into the Highway Users Tax Account in the Transportation Fund and are apportioned by the State Controllers to Cities and Counties.

The Division is also receives funding from the Local Transportation Fund provided by the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) based on the proceeds raised from the Transportation Development Acts funds and the 0.25 cent general sales tax collected by the State and returned to Monterey County. Annual apportionment averages around $12,000,000. State Transit Assistance Funds are dedicated to the operation and capital expenditure of public transit. In Monterey County, these funds are allocated by the South County cities and the Transportation Agency to Monterey-Salinas Transit. Local Transportation Funds can be used for:
  • Administration
  • Local streets and roads
  • Pedestrian and bicycle facilities
  • Planning
  • Public transit
  • Rail passenger service
  • Special group transportation service