But, you were great to remind them that everyone of all modes of transportation walk.

I will say this though....I thought Tony was pretty much on the money with most of what he said....even his cookie metaphor....oh TONY! Eh! TONY!

I came away from the meeting sincerely believing that he can make the metro plans happen. just looking at the last 4 years we can see a dramatic increase in new construction projects. Too bad the people of L.A. had to get snookered out of the money we raised through tax increases for transit projects...

They all used the phrase "grow the pot" a lot as well. I think if anyone can do that it will be Tony and (god-willing) Barack Obama. If he gets in the White House I am quite sure that L.A. could finally get some federal money to complete our transit system.

On the whole I was pretty impressed with the projects on the table. Now to complete them!!

The only hope I have is that his closest advisors don't sell us out and recommend building more highways with MTA money that should be going to non-car uses.

To me, the story isn't aboutthe mayor, but who is close to the mayor on transportation policies and politics. He will bring home some money as chair of the MTA board - but will that money go towards what this County needs?

I don't know how to judge that.

I've tried to do the same when I brought down people to speak, but was denied. Nonetheless, if bike riders unions and other organizations want the same, you need to do as they did and coordinate it ahead of time.

I appreciated your comments on pedestrians in the meeting.

Looking at the faces of the Board Members, I remembered that old Missing Person's record, "Nobody Walks in L.A."

Yesterday's meeting was a zoo.

There were several people representing various organizations who waited for up to four hours to speak, but did not, but the Bus Riders "Unions' was given a ten minute block of time as a group, plus several individual comments on their behalf. Other organizations managed to give their point of view by one person in the one minute allotted time.

Here is a letter I wrote in response to what I saw yesterday at the meeting.

----------------------------

Dear Metro Board of Directors,

Thank you for having today's meeting and accepting feedback on the proposed Long Range Transportation Plan. I have addressed the substance of the plan in other correspondence, so I would like to address my concern with the meeting itself.

My heart and appreciation goes out to Chairwoman O'Connor. It must have been very difficult to chair the public comment portion in a meeting like today's.

However, I have a huge concern about how the Public Comment portion was structured for Items 51 and 54 on the agenda, regarding the Long Range Transportation Plan and the proposed Sales Tax Increase.

I understand why the various service sectors were each given 10 minutes to address their concerns. They each represented many cities and groups with different points of view.

I do not understand why the so-called Bus Riders "Union" was given a 10 minute block of time when other advocacy groups were not. In addition, several of their supporters were also able to speak additionally during individual comments. This is unfair.

There were many people representing various organizations who waited hours to speak and were not given a chance to address the Board. Other transit advocacy organizations had one person speak for the alloted time giving that organization's point of view. Southern California Transit Advocates had one person speaking for one minute, as did the Rail Riders Union, and every other group present. The "BRU" is simply one advocacy organization out of many in Southern California. No one organizations deserves that kind of special privilege just because their members are loud and demanding. The BRU speakers were repetitive in their comments. One person from the BRU could have stood up and given their point of view in one minute, just like every other organization that was there. That would have allowed enough time for probably 15 other individuals and organizations with differing points of view to address the Board.

In the future, I ask the Board do the one of the following in the spirit of fairness:

A) If the BRU is given a significant time slot, that the following other transit advocacy organizations: Southern California Transit Advocates, The Transit Coalition and the Rail Riders Union, also be given the SAME amount of time as the BRU; Or,

B) Do not give the BRU a block of time, and let one individual speak in one comment period for the whole organization, as happened with the other advocacy groups today.

The time has long since come to stop giving the BRU special privileges it doesn't warrant, especially when their speakers all had the same basic rant.

I am not trying to take away their freedom of speech or their right to their opinion. I absolutely defend the right of the BRU, and of any advocacy group, to speak and address the Board like any other organization. I ask in the future that the BRU be given the same treatment as every other advocacy organization, no better and no worse.

I feel really bad for those 15 individuals and organizations who waited for up to four hours to be heard by the Board, and didn't get a chance to speak, but could have if it weren't for the special privilege and extra time given to the BRU. No more special treatment, please.

Best regards,

the "subway" mayor... as in, the only mayor who's never ridden a subway. this is bad news.

how much weight does the board chair hold? is it more symbolic, or is there weight to the position?