Measure J

There is a lot of discussion these days about a potential ballot measure for a new sales tax to fund transportation projects and programs for Los Angeles County. The non-profit Move L.A. has dubbed the future tax "Measure R2," after the successful 2008 Measure R half-cent sales tax. Move L.A. first offered their "straw man" proposal on how to spend the money one year ago. More recently, they hosted forums in South L.A., the San Fernando Valley, and downtown L.A. to discuss potential future transportation funds and projects.

“We have to build an army of people who are willing to say 'enough is enough,'” said Mayor Eric Garcetti at Wednesday's MoveLA conference at Union Station, speaking of the region's traffic and pollution problems.

In November of 2012, the Measure J ballot initiative went down to a narrow defeat despite garnering over 66% of the vote. Measure J would have extended the 2008 Measure R sales tax so that further bonding would be possible and promised transit projects could be completed sooner. From pretty much the moment the final vote was counted, transit watchers have wondered when Metro would try to pass another funding measure on the ballot.

Video provided by the Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti

Following the near-miss Measure J, a 2012  ballot proposition that would have extended Los Angeles' half-cent sales tax for transportation projects, local legislatures began examining a "fix" to state law. Despite Measure J receiving over 66% of the vote, it failed to reach the 2/3 threshold required by law.

Maybe a two-thirds local threshold is just too high a bar to cross, maybe the No on J Campaign did its job too well, maybe voter turnout for the top of the ticket was too low. Whatever the reason, Measure J received "only" 64.7% of the vote last night, a full 1.95% short of the two-thirds threshold it needed to pass. "Only in California is 65% a defeat instead of a landslide victory," wrote Denny Zane on his Facebook page. "...and that has to change."

On Monday, October 15, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was feeling good. The Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, which includes the Daily News, Daily Breeze, Long Beach Press-Telegram, SGV Tribune and Pasadena Star-News, had endorsed Measure J. In front of the hundreds of transit advocates and professionals at Railvolution, a sales tax extension that would largely accelerate transit projects was a popular topic. Villaraigosa smiled as he characterized the opponents of Measure J.

(This is the third of four op/eds on Measure J that Streetsblog will publish this week. Monday, Gloria Ohland of Move L.A. made the case for Measure J and Wednesday Streetsblog Board Member Joel Epstein did the same. In between, the BRU made their case for a no vote. – DN)

(This is the third of four op/eds on Measure J that Streetsblog will publish this week. Monday, Gloria Ohland of Move L.A. made the case for Measure J, yesterday the BRU made their case for a no vote. – DN)