Coming Attractions- #RideWithDamon

Greetings:

I want to let you know about coming attractions in District One.

#RideWithDamon and The Dipsea Race

The annual #RideWithDamon challenge, where I swear off single occupancy car trips, is starting April 1st. Look for me this spring on my bike, Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART), Marin Transit, Golden Gate Transit buses, Golden Gate Ferry, BART, and please offer me a carpool for those hard to reach events.  I welcome all companions on my transit trips, join me as we head out to meetings and events around the Bay Area without paying tolls, or for gas!  #RideWithDamon always gives me the opportunity to look at what is working, and what isn't working in our transportation systems in Marin and around the Bay Area. 

Looking ahead, Bike to Work Day is on May 17th, a great day to leave your car in the garage (there is a lot of support along the route)!

Last week I submitted my application to run the Dipsea Race on June 9th.  Let me know if you want to join me for a training run.  In addition, I'll be the official starter at the Venetia Valley 5k on April 20th, please join me in supporting the athletic programs at Venetia Valley Elementary and Middle School, more information is here.

State of the County

The “State of the County” video showcases how we plan to address our Board’s most urgent priorities in the next year around sustainability, equity and performance management. We rely on community input and trusted data to help guide our decision making process at the County. These priorities rose to the top in the input we received from the community. Equity means access to stable housing at all income levels as well as access to quality health care, jobs and educational opportunities.  We continue to improve transparency and provide more opportunities for resident involvement in the democratic process as well as government services. We hope you will find the new webpage and this 6.5-minute video (spoiler alert I have a cameo appearance) helpful in making what we are doing more understandable. See www.marincounty.org/StateoftheCounty.

 

Washington D.C. Report

I recently attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) annual legislative conference in Washington, D.C. as Marin County’s representative. It was a productive trip, meeting with our congressional delegation and relevant committee staff on Capitol Hill and agencies. I pushed issues of importance to the County and to our constituents.  I met directly with the Army Corps of Engineers, the staffs of Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, and with Congressman Jared Huffman.

The San Rafael Canal is long overdue for dredging.  These types of relatively small projects are difficult to get funded.  I pushed the Army Corps and reminded our congressional delegation about the critical need for the dredge.

There was a great deal to talk about around transportation funding, and whether the administration and Congress can come together on an infrastructure package.  I advocated for funding to complete the Marin-Sonoma Narrows, the pursuit of short term and long term solutions for Highway 37, and prioritizing non-motorized transportation options.  I carried a request for $2.6M to construct a multiuse path on Tiburon Boulevard/State Route 131, with the argument that the short-term construction jobs and long-term transportation benefits created by non-motorized projects offer substantial "bang-for-the-buck" that can often be over-looked when focusing on larger infrastructure projects.

I participated in conversations about broadening the way we look at sea level rise and flood control.  There was discussion with staff on the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment (on which Congressman Huffman sits) about looking for ways to better take into account watershed, ecosystem and climate issues as well as traditional flood control.  Through Marin County's sea level rise vulnerability assessment for the Bay shoreline, BayWAVE, Marin has a story to tell about the impacts our communities could face to critical infrastructure along our shoreline, and that those impacts could be felt disproportionately by low-income populations and communities of color, particularly in Marin City and the Canal.  I'm excited that committee staff is interested in working with us on ways to tackle climate induced sea level rise.

I shared Marin and California's desire for the renewal of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Section 1115 waiver program. The Section 1115 waiver has allowed for expansion of flexible and innovative behavioral health programs, such as substance abuse services, homelessness programs, and Whole Person Care.  We want to see these successful programs continue.

My overall impression of Washington, D.C., is there is a lot more discussion and ideas with the new Democratic majority in the House.  There are signs of some bipartisanship, evident through issues like criminal justice reform and the First Step Act and continuing focus on the opioid crisis.  Nevertheless, gridlock may continue to be the reality at least through the 2020 election.  In short, the trip reminded me that the County level is where we can continue to get work done.

My door is always open, please let me know what is on your mind.

 

 

 

Marin County Board of Supervisors, District 1

3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 329, San Rafael, CA 94903

Direct Tel: (415) 473-7331

 

Newsletter: https://www.marincounty.org/depts/bs/district-1/newsletters

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SupConnolly

Twitter: https://twitter.com/damon_connolly?lang=en