Metro Opens Website to Explain Measure R

9_3_08_metro.jpg

Now that it appears almost certain that that Measure R, Metro’s proposed sales tax plan, the agency is beginning what should be a long campaign to explain to voters why Measure R is a necesary and cost-effective measure for Los Angeles County.  The first step was creating an easy to navigate website containing links to a list of projects that would be funded, a F.A.Q. list, and even a way to see what projects will come online in your area.

It remains to be seen whether this website will have a real impact on the debate.  So far the debate has been dominated by opponents of the sales tax and it’s going to take a major effort to reach the 2/3 support threshold needed in November.  Currently, the only link to this website off Metro’s main page is relegated to the lower right hand corner of the screen and is only visible half of the time.  If not for an article in Curbed, this helpful new site might have been Metro’s best kept secret.

There are 61 days until the election.

  • I’m excited to see the website, but I think at least for the time being, the website’s primary purpose may be to provide easy information to the media. As to getting info to the County… I’m not honestly sure how they’re going to do this, especially when they’re up against the Howard Jarvis people. I was feeling good about it, but depending on how this budget crisis shapes up, there may be additional sales tax increases on the ballot as well, and that’s a hard line to sell. California’s tax structure is lopsided, in that we are forced to rely on sales tax and can’t get enough from property tax, but it’s going to take a Constitutional Convention to fix that problem, it’s well above the pay grade of anyone at LA County, they have to work within the system.

    I’m glad to see the range and scope of projects they’re planning, and glad to see that they’re being ambitious about the rail projects. I’ll be at the meeting in Santa Monica tonight, and will be interested to see what their Santa Monica Boulevard plans are (dubbed “Metro Pink Line” by the blogs and activists at the moment). In a region like LA’s Westside, the backbone simply has to be a fully underground subway line that can beat driving times between Santa Monica and Downtown/Hollywood. Everything will build on that.

  • They mentioned the page at the Santa Monica meeting last night. I’ve been asking around and a campaign to sell Measure R to the voters is in the offing, but so far nascent. Remember, at the Metro Board meeting the Labor Federation pledged support and funds to help pass it. Metro is constrained to only providing information, not advocate. Hopefully once the Governor signs AB 2321 we can really get into selling it. And while there are naysayers out there so far I see no organized opposition with any kind of backing. And hopefully the San Gabriel valley folks and Gloria Molina will mute their whining when it is communicated to them why Measure R passage is in their best interest.

  • Anyone interested in organizing a neighborhood effort to get Measure R passed? I already registered a domain: http://www.latransitnow.org. send me an email at shawnz303 at yahoo if you want to help.

  • Aaron

    I’m sorry but measure R is absolute BS. Until i see some real progress from metro including fixing the 405!!!!! there is no way in hell i’m going to vote yes on this years balot. Buses don’t run on time, our streets look horrible and I am more than displeased with our public transit system at the moment. The answer is not giving the government more money, the answer is petitioning agaisnt the unlawful acts they’ve been performing for decades and making them take responsibilty for their own actions. Our taxes are already rediculous and the thought of raising them even more makes me sick. The government makes enough money they need to take accountability.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

What Factors Are Causing Metro’s Declining Ridership? What Next?

By Joe Linton |
In my circles, there has been a lot of discussion swirling around Wednesday’s Los Angeles Times article, Billions spent, but fewer people are using public transportation in Southern California, by Laura Nelson and Dan Weikel. The Times’ authors cast a disparaging light on recent downturns in ridership: “Despite a $9-billion investment in new light rail […]

Metro’s New LRTP Boosts Bike/Ped Funding from 2008 Draft Levels

By Damien Newton |
Photo: La Cita Vitta/Flickr In the winter of 2008, Metro released the Draft Long Range Transportation Plan, outlining the agency’s funding priorities for the next twenty years.  The plan divided every funding category into two amounts, "constrained" and "strategic."  The Metro Board, hoping to get more funds through Measure R, put off passing the plan […]

Lessons From UCLA’s TransportationCamp

By Jason Islas and Joe Linton |
What do you get when dozens of transportation professionals, technologists, and others interested in improving urban transportation networks all in one room at UCLA on a Saturday morning? The answer is Los Angeles’ very first TransportationCamp. While there were no bonfires or arts and crafts, Saturday’s event was different than your usual gathering of transportation […]