Elected officials and the San Luis Obispo County resid
ents they represent are beginning to grapple with the news that cities throughout California can expect zero dollars for street and road maintenance from the state after 2018, putting many highly anticipated and partially funded projects in jeopardy. The business community is exploring a regional half-cent sales tax that could address road improvements and safety enhancements that are essential to economic development. This tax would make San Luis Obispo a “self-help” county and would provide $22 million per year of locally controlled revenue that could ensure that plans to relieve congested areas such as highways 46 and 227 and Shell Beach Straights, as well as the expansion and connectivity of the Bob Jones Trail, are not delayed. SLO would join 19 other “self-help” counties in California