State may block money for MTC move to San Francisco

A potential roadblock for an agency trying to leave Oakland.  Last year the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) voted to move its headquarters to San Francisco.  A bill introduced in the State Senate last month could slow that down.

Senate Bill 1545 (DeSaulnier) would prohibit public money from being used on the development or improvement of an office building at 390 Main Street, San Francisco, until after the State Auditor has completed a specified audit relating to the move of the headquarters of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Upon completion of the audit, the bill would require the issues raised in the audit to be addressed and a report in that regard to be submitted to the Legislature prior to future expenditure of public money on the headquarters project.

 The Oakland City Council will decide at its meeting on March 20, 2012 whether to support this call for an audit of MTC.  The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce has urged MTC to remain in Oakland as the geographic and transportation hub of the Bay Area.