1690
HARBORS AND NAVIGATION CODE
SECTION 1690
1690. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) The state has a compelling interest in the success of her ports and harbors because they provide significant economic benefit to the state in terms of jobs, personal income, business revenue, and taxes. (b) Ports and harbors are the vital interface between water and land transportation for trade with the Pacific Rim countries and other trade. (c) Historically, California's ports and harbors have been self-supporting. (d) The report of the California Transportation Commission entitled "Improving Access to California's Ports," dated February 1990, found that $897 million is needed for port access transportation projects. (e) In addition to port access transportation projects, there is a need for new harbor facilities and to restore facilities damaged in the Loma Prieta earthquake. (f) Because of shrinking federal and state funding and the increasing demand for those limited funds, ports and harbors are no longer able to finance projects of this magnitude without a new funding mechanism. (g) It is the intent of the Legislature to assist in the reduction of local borrowing costs, help accelerate the construction, repair, and maintenance of port capital improvements, and promote greater use of existing and new financial instruments and mechanisms.