The short end of the stick?
This press release just popped in to my email. Will you vote on a proposal that gives less than 19 percent of funding to the San Gabriel Valley for tranist projects?
ANTONOVICH AND MOLINA INTRODUCE MOTION TO OPPOSE MTA'S ½ CENT SALES TAX MEASURE
LOS ANGELES COUNTY - Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich and Gloria Molina introduced a motion for Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Supervisors to oppose the MTA's proposed sales tax increase for its failure to distribute transit dollars equitably.
"The measure fails to include funding for areas that will grow the most over the next 30 years, " said Antonovich. "The Antelope and Santa Clarita Valleys will more than double in population over the life of this sales tax measure, yet receive only 5% of the total project funding. The San Gabriel Valley and Gateway Cities both have approximately 19% of the County's population, and also generate approximately 19% of the County's sales taxes -- yet both areas were given much less than 19% of the total project funding available. The San Fernando Valley represents over 15% of the County's population but will only receive 5% of the total project funding available -- depriving Valley residents 2/3 of its fair share of funding."
"Los Angeles County residents in the San Fernando, San Gabriel, Cresenta, Santa Clarita, and Antelope valleys, the Gateway cities and East Los Angeles will reject this poorly constructed, unfair proposal," he added. "Rather than collaborating with the 88 cities and 134 unincorporated communities to build support, Mayor Villaraigosa's tax is being shoved down the taxpayers' throats because unlike Robin Hood, it takes from the poor and gives to the rich."
There's no way I'm voting for it. I need access to mass transportation; and its about time that the SGV gets its fair share. If Mayor Villaraigosa wants this so bad, then he can come out HERE and convince us why we should vote for it. He's not going to do it, but it would at least mean something to the rest of us.
Where does Villaraigosa get off adding a tax. We need to take care of our needs in the San Gabriel Valley NOT Los Angeles. That is his problem. Fix it on your own. Remember there are other councilmembers in LA not just Antonio.What a dame ego this dude has.
Vote No on the Hollywood/Westside sales tax. Those guys have more than enough money to fund their own transportation needs without reaching into the pockets hard working, working class people in the San Gabriel Valley.
An excerpt from my recent letter addressed to Supervisors Molina and Antonovich:
"As a lifelong resident of the San Gabriel Valley, the Board’s decision will negatively impact my future quality of life, as well as the future quality of life of every resident in the San Gabriel Valley and the County of Los Angeles. Our freeway system is utilized beyond capacity, major intersections and street segments in the area consistently operate at failing levels of service, and personal transportation costs continue to spiral out of control, yet the many members of the Board of Supervisors continue to base their decisions regarding regional transportation projects using a parochial mindset. I am becoming increasingly frustrated with San Gabriel Valley politicians who constantly point to the proposed subway to the sea as an example of inequity in the Metropolitan Transportation Agency’s (MTA) long range plans for the region’s mass transit network; these same politicians fail to see that the San Gabriel Valley, compared to other subregions in the County, is already well served by mass transit in the form of the Gold Line and its eastside extension, the El Monte Transitway, and the Metrolink San Bernadino Line. Although I would love to see a subway line constructed eastward into the San Gabriel Valley, I fail to see the wisdom in the Valley’s politicians thwarting attempts to build hard rail lines elsewhere in the county simply because one is not being proposed at this time for their area. This rationale strikes me as childish, selfish, and above all else, detrimental to the future quality of life for everyone residing in Los Angeles County. Devising solutions to the transportation crisis that is crippling the Southern California region requires that our elected leaders abandon the tit-for-tat mentality that too often plagues the political arena, but sadly it is evident by the Board’s recent decision that several supervisors are incapable of rising above the status quo and acting in the best interest of all residents of Los Angeles County.
As a professional planner working for a local municipality in the San Gabriel Valley, the Board’s decision severely hinders the efforts of municipalities and public agencies throughout the region to effectively and creatively address a wide spectrum of land use issues that are plaguing Los Angeles County. Transportation, economic development, affordable housing, public health, and sustainability are all so intricately linked that any regression in one sector has a negative impact in all areas. Professionals, community activists, and concerned individuals can only do so much to advocate for expanded mass transit options; we are reliant on our decision makers to provide the vision, guidance, and resources necessary to achieve our common goals. If the Southern California region fails to continually invest in and upgrade its public transportation network, it is not unreasonable to assume that these inter-related issues will experience decreases in applicable indicators of growth and service in the not too distant future. Given that federal and state funding of mass transit projects is difficult to obtain and limited in size, the shortsightedness evinced by the Board in denying the MTA the opportunity to create a reliable source of funding for sorely needed mass transit and highway improvement projects is nothing less than mind-boggling. The inability of the certain members of the Board to see beyond the here and now and act in the best interest of the future growth and stability of the region is reprehensible, irresponsible, and an insult to those of us who work on a daily basis to improve the built environment and the quality of life for everyone."
An aside to Jennifer McLain: Please refrain from interjecting your own personal biases into your stories. It does nothing to further the intelligent discussion and debate about the future of mass transit in the region.
So what I get from Alhambra Resident is that it's ok to tax the entire San Gabriel Valley and shortchange them money because it's "progress". Thank goodness you're not one of our elected officials.
I have an idea--why not have Villaraigosa sit down with the SGV leaders and agree upon what both sides think is fair? Was that too much to ask?
Alhambra Resident's long-winded letter ignores the central problem: EQUITY. Nobody disputes the benefits of improving mass transit in the region. The issue is how the money gets spent and how will it best serve the people who are forced to pay for this system. At present, the City of Los Angeles and County Supervisors who believe there is nothing east of the LA River, would have the residents of the SGV subsidize transporation for their constituents. THAT IS SIMPLY UNFAIR. And you don't need 500 words to figure that out.
I hope the legislature doesnt pass the bill they need to put this on the ballot.
Not only do we get the "short" end of the stick we seem to have the one end that got dipped in dog S***. I can't believe that jelly fish Knabe. Now he says he's really against the MTA tax.
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