Who is the CTC?

Who is the CTC
Most of the members of the board of the California Transportation Commission aren’t familiar to taxpayers, but they will exert a tremendous amount of influence on billions of dollars in transportation-bond money in the next few years. The ex-officio members are executive director John Barna and the chairs of the Senate and Assembly Transportation Committees, Sen. Alan Lowenthal and Assemblywoman Jenny Oropeza.
Of the nine appointed members, all but one was put in place by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. A rundown:
Marian Bergeson, chairwoman
Appointed: 12/02/04
Term expires: 2/1/08
A Republican former state senator and secretary of education under Gov. Pete Wilson, the 81-year-old was appointed to the CTC by Gov. Schwarzenegger two years ago.

James Ghielmetti, vice-chairman
Appointed: 6/18/03
Reappointed by Schwarzenegger: 3/31/05
Term expires: 2/1/09
Ghielmetti is CEO of Signature Properties,
one of the states largest developers; he’s also
a Democrat.

Bob Alvarado
Appointed: 4/27/06
Term expires: 2/1/10
Alvarado, executive officer of the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, is the main labor representative on the board and also has longest-remaining term. He is a former UC Regent.

John Chalker
Appointed: 12/14/05
Term expires: 2/1/07
The managing director of LM Capital,
Chalker is a former fighter pilot who lives
in San Diego.

Jeremiah Hallisey
Appointed: 3/30/99
Reappointed: 4/02/03
Term expires: 2/1/07
President of the San Francisco law firm Hallisey & Johnson, he and Torres are the longest-serving members.

R. Kirk Lindsey
Appointed: 2/1/04
Term expires: 2/1/08
A Republican, Lindsey has been chairman
of Bright Transportation Systems since 1972.

Joseph Tavaglione
Appointed: 9/19/02
Reappointed: 3/31/05
Term expires: 2/1/09
President of Tavaglione Construction and a former chair of the Contractor’s State License Board, Tavaglione is a Republican.

Esteban Torres
Appointed: 3/03/99
Reappointed: 4/02/03
Term expires: 2/1/07
A former eight-term Democratic congressman from Los Angeles, Torres is a proponent of public transportation.

Larry Zarian
Appointed: 4/27/06
Term expires: 2/1/10
The first Armenian-American to serve on the Glendale City Council, he’s currently heads a law firm.