Antonio Villaraigosa

Let's rewind to about a year ago.  We still weren't sure whether or not the sales tax measure now known as Measure R would make it to the fall ballot, and activists of all ilk were rallying to try and make certain their favored mode of transportation wouldn't be left out in the cold.

The big news from today's Metro Board meeting was that after our leaders subjected themselves to the pain of listening to the public, they were able to sorta-kinda pass the FY 2010 budget and put off a decision on whether to abandon their contract with Ansaldo Breda for another two months.

Last Friday, local media outlets participated in a rally for the Sepulveda Pass Widening Project, that would widen the I-405 to connect carpool lanes between the I-10 and I-101, with Governor Schwarzenegger, Mayor Villaraigosa and various other union and public officials.  Using an uncritical media to amplify their claims, our elected leadership promoted the largest road widening project to use stimulus funds as a Godsend to not just I-405 commuters, but also the environment, the economy and even alternative transportation.

Earlier this week, Mayor Villaraigosa gave the annual State of the City address and for the first time it discussed a future with reduced auto dependency.  The following paragraph appears as part of a larger discussion of the Mayor's Clean Tech Corridor initiative.  It's not much, but it's more than last year:

When I arrived at this morning's Metro Board meeting, I was surprised that the line to get in the board room stretched out the door.  Most of those filling the room were members of local construction unions there to pressure the Metro Board to not allow a contract with Ansaldo Breda to expire.  Ansaldo Breda is a company that constructs rail cars, currently has a contract with Metro and has "promised" to open a factory in Los Angeles County if it receives a contract to construct 100 more light rail cars for Metro utilizing Measure R funds. 

Tomorrow, millions of Angelenos will take to the polls for L.A.'s 2009 Municipal Elections.  Truthfully, the most exciting races are the ones for Comptroller and City Attorney, with the Mayoral and most City Council races all but decided.