Month: November 2011
Streetsblog LA
Regional Agencies Taking Slow Walk Towards Sustainable Funding
In recent weeks, regional transportation agencies in Southern California have made some slow moves towards embracing a more sustainable transportation network throughout the Southland. Local "Metropolitan Planning Organization" the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is poised to pass a long term plan that would dramatically increase bicycle and pedestrian funding while its sister agency in San Diego passed the first regional funding plan complying with the state's ground breaking greenhouse gas emissions law SB 375 which mandates improvements in air quality with reductions in vehicles miles traveled.
November 9, 2011
Update: Villaraigosa/Garcetti/Englander Plan Would NOT Apply to Used Car Dealers
I just received an update from the Mayor's Office on the proposal to eliminate business taxes for car dealerships.
November 9, 2011
Vallianatos: Policy Shifts Towards Walkable Communities Anathema to “Buy Here Pay Here”
(This is part two of our series on reader's response to last week's series on Buy Here Pay Here used car dealerships. Yesterday we summarized the statements of Joe Linton, Roadblick, Adrian Martinez, Damien Goodmon and Allison Mannos. Today we bring a more detailed response from Occidental College Professor Mark Vallianatos. Tomorrow, we'll have a response from Voice Newspaper Editor Carlos Morales. - DN)
November 9, 2011
The Hypocrisy of Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit” Campaign
I'll admit it: I love the Chrysler ad campaign "Imported from Detroit," which debuted in February's Super Bowl spot starring Eminem.
November 9, 2011
Raleigh-Durham Voters Give Go-Ahead to Light Rail Plans
Yesterday was a mixed bag for transit at the ballot box. Voters in Cincinnati beat back a second referendum that would have prevented the city from building its planned and ready-to-go streetcar line. In Seattle, meanwhile, an initiative that would have allowed local electeds to raise vehicle license fees to support transit was rejected.
November 9, 2011
Today’s Headlines
Featured Headline: The City of L.A. recently launched an interesting looking interactive website to inform their efforts to revamp the city's mobility plan. I'm not sure what to make of it yet, I haven't had time to explore the site and play around (although I'm guessing that Carter Rubin has...). If you have, please leave some thoughts in the comments section.
November 9, 2011
Mayor, Garcetti, and Englander Call for Exempting Auto Dealers from City’s Business Tax
Picture this. One day one of the most important political figures in the city stands in front of a major Downtown attraction and announces that train service to this attraction will be increased dramatically in the coming weeks. The next day, a major political figure, flanked by an up-and-coming political star and the City Council President, stands with the head of the local automotive dealer lobbying group and announces a political proposal to end business taxes for car dealerships.
November 8, 2011
Streetsbloggers Respond to the Times’ Buy Here Pay Here Series
First, let's state for the record that Ken Bensinger and the Los Angeles Times did a public service by shining a harsh light on the largely unregulated "Buy Here Pay Here" used car dealership industry. Too many dealers in this industry and preying on poor people desperate for a car by intentionally driving up their debt so that in the end the "dealership" ends up with the shoppers money and gets a chance to sell the car all over again.
November 8, 2011
Saving the Farm: The Fight to Keep Sprawl From Engulfing Rural America
On Streetsblog we talk a lot about the effect of sprawl on cities and suburbs. It forces people to drive everywhere, to the detriment of their physical and financial health. It pollutes the air and drains city budgets.
November 8, 2011
Thank You Joel and Karen, Now Mark Your Calendar for December 8
Last weekend, Joel Epstein and Karen Sarachik hosted a fundraiser to benefit L.A. Streetsblog. Nearly twenty people, representing organizations including Bikerowave, Bikeside, Friends for Expo Transit, the Sierra Club and the Southern California Transit Advocates, were in attendance joining writers for The Source, Huffington Post and California Planning and Development Report. A great evening with friends and supporters and we raised well over $1,000 to support Streetsblog's operations.
November 8, 2011