SOSroads, a group lobbying for better road maintenance in Sonoma County, is looking for your comments on how the county should finance improvements.

The group, which is about a year and a half old, is conducting an online survey with some general questions but particularly includes questions on possible ways to pay for better roads, including:

–RaisingĀ  taxes.

–Devoting more of the county budget to roads.

–Cutting county workers’ salaries and benefits by 5 percent and use that money for roads.

–Reduce the number of county workers by 5 percent and use that money for roads.

–Extend Measure M’s quarter-cent sales tax, now set to expire in 2016, and devote 80 percent of the revenue to road maintenance. Twenty percent now goes to maintenance.

–Impose a $20-a-vehicle tax.

–Increase the hotel tax that affects mostly tourists.

–Create road maintenance districts funded by parcel taxes of $300 to $500 a year.

Michael Troy, one of the founders of SOSroads, says the group plans to present the survey’s results to the county Board of Supervisors and roads department with the idea of trying to stir some action.

He says the group is mailing 6,000 postcards promoting the survey to residents along some of the county’s worst roads, hoping to get their input.

He says most of the money ideas have been discussed by the Board of Supervisors, while others, such as the county staff and pay cuts, came from SOSroads.

In announcing the survey, the group notes that of the 1,382 miles of county-maintained roads, money is being spent to keep in good condition only 200 miles.

“The remaining 1,182 miles receive only pothole filling, and many have already begun to fall apart and will eventually deteriorate to gravel or dirt,” the group warns.

To take the survey, CLICK HERE.

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