Also, the VTA Board of Directors approved its spending plan for the Federal  Stimulus Package money which it will lobby for at a regional transit planning meeting on February 6.

The meeting audio is nearly 2 hours long.  Enjoy.

Highlight of the evening: SCVTARU Founder Eugene Bradley presenting the group’s proposal of Sunshine Laws for VTA.  The proposal is similar to one proposed for the City of San Jose. It is Agenda Item 10.

This is the first known full recording of a VTA Board meeting.  VTA Board meetings are where transportation decisions affecting the South Bay are made, and how your tax dollars are spent on transportation.

The full meeting is over 2 hours long.  Enjoy.

Now that those issues were resolved, there will be a “catch-up” period where recordings go up to the March 2009 VTA Board meeting recording.

Thank you for your patience.  Please appreciate all efforts that are being made to provide you with a front-row seat on who spends your tax dollars on transportation in the San Jose area.

Only highlight of this meeting is when SCVTARU group founder Eugene Bradley challenging VTA on the safety of light rail thru lack of signage - and General Manager Michael Burns’ meltdown afterward. It’s around the 50 minute mark.

The meeting is nearly 2.5 hours long.  Enjoy.

Representing the Yes side was Bob Hines, Vice President General Counsel & Energy Director, Silicon Valley Leadership Group

Representing the No side was Greg Perry, former member of the VTA’s Board of Directors and past Mountain View Vice Mayor.

Note that the debate began 15 minutes late as Mr. Perry was taking the bus (the 522 Rapid from San Jose’s Diridon train station) but was late.

The debate is over one (1) hour long.  Enjoy.

Highlights of the meeting:

• Public testimony from VTA workers expressing concern about the labor dispute between their union and VTA management
• SCVTARU Founder Eugene Bradley presenting a letter to the VTA Board urging them and the union to negotiate an immediate end to the labor dispute
• Concerns expressed on overcrowding of some Community Bus routes like the 37 bus line
• A question from the public answered by the VTA about the affect of lack of state budget and its effect on the transit agency

The entire recording is just over one (1) hour long.

Former San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales was also at the meeting, as was San Jose Vice Mayor Dave Cortese and San Jose City Councilmember Sam Liccardo. Liccardo currently sits on the VTA’s Board of Directors while Cortese serves as an alternate.

Highlights include Burns’ speech and questions regarding any additional sales taxes for BART, as well as concerns about the lack of status on when light rail was going to be built in East San Jose.

Total time of the speech is 40 minutes.  Enjoy.

• Reaffirming that light rail will be built in East San Jose
• Approval of the 1/8-cent sales tax proposal for the November ballot
• Rearranging on how VTA Board members from cities outside San Jose are appointed

The meeting is over 4 hours long.  Enjoy.

For future podcasts, attempts will be made to break up the audio by agenda item where possible.

• A new bus stop will be constructed at DeAnza College in Cupertino, to be ready by the Fall 2008 semester
• VTA bus ridership is up over 5% from June 2007
• A Free Transit Day is to take place on June 18

This Board meeting is 2.5 hours long. It starts after the Closed Session ends, until Board Chair Liz Kniss adjourns the meeting.