Transportation Funding

Photo from Metro Rider

More than 60 people showed up to ask Metro to cancel or modify some of their proposed service cuts in San Fernando Valley earlier this evening (Wednesday). What wasn't surprising was that so many members of the public came out on a Christian religious holiday, but that the members of the Service Sector Board (more on that tomorrow) seemed as aghast at the proposed cuts as the general public was.

As we get closer to tomorrow's monthly meeting (2 p.m. at 500 Temple Street) of the Expo Metro Line Construction Authority both sides in the debate over crossings at Dorsey High School have been actively firing up the troops. Tomorrow's expected fireworks will be over agenda item 6d which would re-examine the crossing designed for Farmdale Avenue, at Dorsey High School. Critics of the Expo Libe an at-grade crossing needlessly endangers the students. Supporters of the plan argue that the safety claim is a red herring for people that want to stop light rail expansion.

Sometimes, you wonder why people even bother to volunteer for the government.

A decision on whether or not to use turnstiles to collect fares at train stops was postponed by the Metro Board today not after threats of a lawsuit or the repeated strong opposition from Board Member Richard Katz; but because of a letter by former Metrolink executive director Richard Stanger questioning how much money the turnstiles would really raise. (I'm working on obtaining a copy of Stanger's letter and will post it when I do).

At yesterday’s meeting of Metro’s Finance and Budget Subcommittee staff raised the specter of changing the age needed to receive the “Senior Discount” from 62 to 65. All residents currently receiving the discount would be grandfathered in. In response to a question from the audience, Board Member John Fasana clarified that such a change would … Continued

A seemingly wonky piece of legislation introduced last week by Assemblyman Mike Feuer (D-LA) may have big implications for the future of transportation funding in Southern California. ACA 10, modeled after a ballot proposition for education bonds, would lower the threshold needed for counties to approve bond measures for transportation. Currently, 2/3 of all voters need to approve. Feuer's legislation lowers the threshold to 55%.

If you want to reduce congestion, you should first increase the cost of public parking, argued UCLA Professor, and Parking Policy Cult Hero, Donald Shoup at the recent "It's Time to Get LA Moving" conference.

For full coverage of the conference, please see my other posts: Feuer Seeks To Help LA County Help Itself , Professor Donald Shoup: How About Congestion Parking, and Villaraigosa Vows Return of "Ride Metro with the Mayor" .